English
Subject Coordinator - Mrs D Clarkson
English is a fundamental and exciting area of our school curriculum, and I am thrilled to share my passion for reading and writing with our students. As an avid reader with a love for various genres, I enjoy discussing and sharing books with friends and family. My enthusiasm for reading began in Year 4, thanks to a dedicated teacher who helped me discover the joy of books. His persistence and belief in finding the right book for every reader transformed my view of reading from a chore into a cherished hobby, and I am committed to fostering this same love of reading in our students.
As the English Lead, my goal is to develop a curriculum that is both engaging and inclusive, with a strong emphasis on key skills. Our journey begins in Reception with the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme. This foundational programme introduces children to the sounds of letters and builds their ability to read and write increasingly complex words. To ensure every child’s progress, we will assess their phonics skills every six weeks. Phonics is one of my favourite lessons to teach, and I will be offering phonics clubs for Year 1 and Year 2 students throughout the year.
This year in Reception, we are excited to introduce a new writing initiative called 'Drawing Club'. This scheme, is centred around children’s interests, will enhance their phonetic knowledge, reading, and writing skills while nurturing a love for writing. Our Reception staff are enthusiastic about implementing this new programme.
In our English lessons, we plan around a key text each term, creating meaningful connections between reading and writing. We carefully select texts that are age-appropriate and engaging, ensuring a balance of fiction and nonfiction, as well as books from diverse genres and cultures. This approach provides a broad and balanced curriculum that supports a wide range of reading experiences.
Reading will be a major focus this year. Each child will bring home a reading diary and is encouraged to read at least five times a week. Regular reading, even for just a few minutes, significantly impacts their progress across all subjects, including mathematics. Later this year, we will introduce Accelerated Reader for Year 2 and above. This new reading scheme will provide children with books tailored to their reading and comprehension levels, and we will provide further details about this initiative soon.
I am eager to collaborate with staff and students on this essential aspect of our curriculum and to support every child's journey in developing their reading and writing skills.
Subject Intent Statements
Phonics at Mablethorpe Primary Academy
At Mablethorpe Primary Academy, we use the Read Write Inc. (RWI) programme to deliver high-quality phonics teaching in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.
RWI is a lively, structured approach that helps children master the 44 phonics sounds and their corresponding letters or letter groups. Pupils learn to blend sounds to read words, and they practise reading with specially written books that are carefully matched to their phonics level. These books are also sent home so children can continue developing their skills with support from parents and carers.
Children take part in daily 40-minute RWI sessions, where they read and write in small groups tailored to their reading stage. This ensures every child receives the right level of challenge and support.
Support your child with phonics at home:
Reading at Mablethorpe Primary Academy
Once children complete the Read Write Inc. programme, they move on to the Accelerated Reader programme. This system assesses each child’s reading and comprehension level, helping them choose books that are just right for their ability. After finishing a book, children complete a short quiz to check understanding and track progress.
Teachers continue to support reading development through Guided Reading sessions and regular one-to-one reading throughout the school day.
We believe reading for pleasure is essential, and this is reflected in our inviting reading areas across the school. In Years 5 and 6, children can enjoy a dedicated reading space outside the school hall. Pupils are encouraged to choose an independent reading book to take home alongside their RWI or Accelerated Reader book.
Every child has a reading diary for parents and carers to record home reading—whether it’s a phonics book, an Accelerated Reader book, or a book chosen for pleasure. Teachers track how often children read at home, and we celebrate their efforts with our Reads Reward Scheme:
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25 Reads: Certificate awarded in assembly
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Certificates continue all the way to 325 Reads
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300 Reads: Children receive a brand-new book to keep, awarded in our special parents’ assembly
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Speaking and Listening
To provide opportunities for children to explore and practice speaking using standard English and to increase challenging vocabulary through drama, discussions and presentations.
Speaking and Listening for our children
I can speak confidently using interesting vocabulary.
Writing
To communicate ideas through writing for different audiences using a range of different text types
Writing for our children
I can write for different purposes.