At Wildridings Primary School, we recognise the importance of English as the foundation for lifelong success. It unites the essential skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening, empowering children to communicate effectively and confidently.

We are committed to providing a rich and stimulating English curriculum that nurtures perseverance, collaboration, enjoyment and independence. Through engaging lessons and seeking opportunities for meaningful cross-curricular links, we ensure that every child is supported to develop the skills they need to help them to read fluently, write with purpose, and express themselves clearly. Our dedicated staff work diligently to support and challenge all pupils, enabling them to reach their full potential in English.
 

Please look at our policies page for more information regarding the teaching and learning of English at Wildridings.

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Phonics and Spelling

At Wildridings we follow the Sounds~Write Phonics Programme from EYFS –Y6. This multisensory approach encourages pupils to listen, speak, read and write. Spelling is explicitly taught using the Sounds~Write approach to teach spelling strategies linked to year group statutory guidance and to develop curriculum vocabulary.

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Reading

At Wildridings, we want children to enjoy reading and develop a lifelong love of books. Our in-class activities reflect this, with staff promoting reading for pleasure through engaging class texts. Reading is a priority, as it underpins access to our curriculum and supports children’s overall learning.

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Writing

At Wildridings Primary School, our staff use research-informed principles to support and to develop our children into young writers. We often engage pupils with a ‘hook’ to spark curiosity and motivation, making writing an exciting and meaningful experience with purpose and audience in mind.

In EYFS and Key Stage 1, our focus is on building strong foundations, ensuring pupils develop essential early literacy skills. This approach equips them with the confidence and ability to thrive as they progress into Key Stage 2.

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Handwriting

At Wildridings, we recognise handwriting needs to be automatic in order to support composition.  To achieve this, the School has chosen the evidence-informed programme, Kinetic Letters. This programme builds the cognitive and physical skills needed for handwriting. This programme enables our children to develop legible handwriting that is produced quickly and automatically. 

The programme has four threads.

• • Making bodies stronger
  • Holding the pencil (for speed, comfort and legibility)
  • Learning the letters
  • Flow and Fluency

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Summary

To support children using the Sounds-Write phonics program, parents can refer to the Sounds-Write Parent Guide and video tutorials from the official site. Phonics Play offers interactive resources that complement Sounds-Write, while the Literacy Trust and Phonics Blog provide general phonics support for parents. These resources will help parents confidently support their child’s phonics development at home, reinforcing key concepts taught in school.

Recommended Reads Sorted By Year Groups - Books For Topics

Here are some examples of recommended books for your child. Click on your child's year group to see which books they could be reading.