English
English is a core subject that informs and underpins the wider curriculum; it is the gateway to children’s success in the classroom and in the wider world. At Mowlem Primary School, it is our vision to foster a love of language and literature through the use of high-quality texts, which inspires, excites, and engages our children. We are committed to embedding a culture of rich oracy throughout the school, by the systematic teaching of effective spoken and written language, that promotes active listening and critical thinking skills, which is in line with our ethos of perseverance, resilience, and ambition. We recognise the importance of English within education and society; this is why the acquisition of language and early reading skills are of the utmost importance to us, here, at Mowlem Primary School. Our English lessons are purposeful, engaging and immerses our children into the wonders of quality texts. We strive to instil a love of reading through our text led English curriculum whilst promoting high-standards of language and literacy that equips our children with a strong command of the written and spoken word, thus preparing them for the demands of the curriculum and the wider world.
Essential characteristics of readers:
- Excellent phonic knowledge and skills.
- Fluency and accuracy in reading across a wide range of contexts throughout the curriculum.
- Knowledge of an extensive and rich vocabulary.
- An excellent comprehension of texts.
- The motivation to read for both study and for pleasure.
- Extensive knowledge through having read a rich and varied range of texts.
Please click on the link below to find out more about the school's approach to the teaching of reading and phonics
Reading and Phonics at Mowlem
Essential characteristics of writers:
- The ability to write fluently and with interesting detail on a number of topics throughout the curriculum.
- A vivid imagination which makes readers engage with and enjoy their writing.
- A highly developed vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of writing techniques to extend details or description.
- Well-organised and structured writing, which includes a variety of sentence structures.
- Excellent transcription skills that ensure writing is well presented and punctuated, spelled correctly and neat.
- A love of writing and an appreciation of its educational, cultural and entertainment values.
Essential characteristics of excellent communicators:
- An exceptional talent for listening attentively so as to understand what is being said.
- A rich and varied vocabulary that give clarity and interest to conversations.
- Clear speech that can be easily understood by a range of audiences.
- An excellent grasp of the rules used in English conversation, such as tenses and the grammatical structure of sentences.
- A highly developed ability to tell stories that capture the interest and imagination of the audience.
- A delight in initiating and joining in conversations.
- Respect for others when communicating, even when views differ.
English Curriculum Overview 2023-2024
English Rivers
Learning Journeys
- Learning Journeys detail the overall outcomes for each unit.
- Learning Journeys detail the small steps that children will take to achieve the overall outcomes for each unit.
- They show how the unit builds on prior learning
- They show what children will learn in the future linked to what they are learning now.
- Learning Journeys are available on the school website – on the year group page or on the subject page
- They include key vocabulary for the unit
- They include details of the key content to be covered
If you would like printed copies of any journeys please let us know.
Year 1
Autumn Term
On Sudden Hill, Benji Davies - Familiar Settings
Thank You Omu, Oge Mora - Familiar Settings
In Every House on Every Street, Jess Hitchman - Familiar Settings
Spring Term
The Gingerbread Man - Traditional tales
The Gingerbread Man - Instructions
The Queen’s Hat, Steve Anthony - Familiar settings
Recount of familiar events
Caterpillar Cake - Poetry
Summer Term
We’re Going To Find a Monster, Malorie Blackman - Familiar Settings
Seasons Come, Seasons Go Tree - Non-chronological report
A Great Big Cuddle – Childhood, Michael Rosen - Poems on a theme
Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs - Adventure
One Day on our Blue Planet: In the Savannah, Ella Bailey - Non-Chronological Report
Zim, Zam, Zoom, James Carter
Year 2
Autumn Term
Billy and the Beast, Nadia Shireen - Stories by a significant author
The Boy who Cried Wolf, Aesop’s Fables - Fables or other animal stories
Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion, Alex. T. Smith - Traditional tales with a twist
Recount of familiar events
The Santa Trap, Jonathan Emmett
Spring Term
The Great Fire of London: Anniversary Edition of the Great Fire of 1666 - Non-Chronological Report
Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Experiments, Quentin Blake et al - Instructions
The Lonely Beast, Chris Judge - Recount & Narrative
Recount of familiar events
Summer Term
The Disgusting Sandwich - Adventure
Dear Teacher, Amy Husband - Letter Writing
Poems to Perform, Julia Donaldson - Performance Poetry
The Dragon Machine Helen Ward/Dragon Post Emma Yarlett - Imaginary Worlds
The Big Book of the UK: Facts, folklore and fascinations from around the United Kingdom, Imogen Russell Williams - Persuasive Leaflet
Poetry Pie, Roger McGough - Poems on Theme
Year 3
Autumn Term
A Caribbean Dozen – The Forest & Jelly Boots. Smelly Boots, Michael Rosen Poems based on a theme
Stone Age Boy - Historical Fiction
Spring Term
Leon and the Place In Between, Angela MacAllister - Fantasy
linked to Fantasy unit - Non chronological report
The Fire Children, Eric Maddern - Myths & Legends
River Story, Meredith Hooper - Explanation
Summer Term
The Spell Thief, Tom Percival - Playscripts
Captain Scott: Journey to the South Pole - Recount – diaries
Where Ocean Meets Sky, The Fan Brothers - Significant Author
Everything Volcano - Non-chronological report
Year 4
Autumn Term
Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx - Fantasy, Including a recount
The Village the Vanished - Stories from other cultures
News Report – Rosa Parks, Black History Month - Recount
Dancing in the Rain, John Lyons - Poetry
Spring Term
The Iron Man, Ted Huges - Author Study
Sound - Science link - Explanation
The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore - Fantasy
Wild Animals – An Interview with a Tiger - Non Chron
Where Zebras Go (Part 2), Sue Hardy Dawson - Calligrams and Shape poems
Summer Term
Rumaysa, Radiya Hafiza/ Rapunzel - Rachel Isadora - Traditional Tales with a Twist
NGK Everything Viking- How should we remember the Vikings?, National Geographic Kids
Kennings/Cinquains - Poems with a Structure
Epic Adventures, Sam Sedgewick - Information booklet with a collection of non-fiction text types
Mr Penguin and the lost Treasure, Alex.T. Smith - Adventure
My Name is Not Refugee, Kate Milner - Recount- diary
Year 5
Autumn Term
Arabian Nights, Usborne - Stories from other cultures
Hidden Figures, Margot Lee Shetterley - Biography
The Adventures of Odysseus, Hugh Lipton - Myths & Legends
Forces and Parachutes - Explanation Text
Haikus - Poems with a structure
Spring Term
The Barnabus Project, The Fan Brothers - Adventure
The Cities Book/ The Travel Book, Lonely Planet - Magazine Article
Future Hero: Race to Fire Mountain, Remi Blackwood - Adventure
City of Stolen Magic, Ahmed Pathak, Nazneen - Fantasy
Tyger, Tyger - Classic Narrative Poetry
Summer Term
War Horse, Michael Morpurgo - Historical Fiction/ Significant Author
War Poetry - Poems with figurative language
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis - Older literature
Guardians of the Planet: How to be an Eco-Hero, Clive Gifford - Persuasion
The Lady of Shalott - Classic Narrative Poetry
Year 6
Autumn Term
Pig Heart Boy + Other Stories - Contemporary Fiction
Spring Term
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them J.K. Rowling - Non Chronological Report
How to Cook Children - Procedural texts
Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling - Letters – Howlers
The Dreadful Menace - Poetry
The Circulatory system - Explanation
Summer Term
Ned’s Circus of Marvels, Justin Fisher - Narrative -alternative chapter
Journey, Aaron Becker Narrative – description
Cogheart - Science Fiction, Adventure
Cogheart - Persuasive writing