Curriculum Intent:

The English curriculum seeks to equip pupils with a strong command of spoken and written language in readiness for their next phase in education and to be successful life- long learners and participants in society.  We acknowledge the importance of English within each subject of the primary curriculum, and believe that a depth of learning secured within all aspects of this core subject, enables access to the full breadth of a rich and vibrant curriculum, and broadens pupils’ experiences. 

The English curriculum aims to develop effective communication skills so pupils can speak and write fluently to communicate with others, and can read confidently and listen carefully so others can communicate with them.

Reading:

At Oakdale Junior School, we strive to give our children the best start in establishing secure foundations in reading. Our primary intent is to create avid readers which we believe is the foundation for any greater depth learner. While phonics and fluency will be emphasised in the early teaching of reading, immersive whole-class reading sessions later take precedent and we use challenging texts to ensure our reading curriculum offers ambition and challenge. These sessions help to develop fluency but primarily focus on the contextualisation of language and literary devices. We also prioritise establishing a reading culture in which children are encouraged to read widely and for pleasure. It is our intention that by the end of their primary education, all of our pupils will be able to: read fluently, with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education; draw on their knowledge of quality literature to further drive their passion for reading and writing and continue on their journeys as life-long readers.