At Homefields, we have adopted the “Chris Quigley Essentials” curriculum based on the principal that children will develop a DEPTH of learning. The curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced, ensuring that all pupils develop the knowledge and skills to succeed in life.

Our creative approach to the study of literacy develops the children’s essential characteristics skills to listen, speak, read and write for a wide range of exciting purposes, including using language to learn and communicate their own ideas, views and feelings.

Writing

• 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 their writing is well presented and punctuated, spelled correctly and neat.
• A love of writing and an appreciation of its educational, cultural and entertainment values.

Our creative curriculum enables children to express themselves confidently and imaginatively, as they become enthusiastic and critical explorers of a wide range of genres: stories, poetry, letters and play-scripts, as well as a variety of non-fiction and media texts.

Pupils gain an understanding of how language works by studying word, sentence and whole text patterns, structures and origins. Grammar is taught through the exploration of good quality texts and explicit teaching of skills.

Reading

We have the most amazing well-stocked, ‘Enchanted Library’ to inspire a love of reading for all children.

The children can read under the branches of a magically lit tree or sit on wooden logs as they are lost in an exciting read or venture through a stone castle tunnel to a mysterious world.  

Our reading essential characteristics are:

• 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.

We use a systematic phonics approach for teaching early reading skills. Essential Letters and Sounds is the core phonics scheme taught at Homefields.

Guided Reading is an important part of our curriculum. Children work in small groups or a whole class approach to develop their reading comprehension skills and a deeper understanding of texts.

Communication

At Homefields, children are given the opportunities in all areas of the curriculum to develop their speaking and listening essential characteristics skills:

• An exceptional talent for listening attentively so as to understand what is being said. 
• A rich and varied vocabulary that gives 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.

Literacy often sparks amazing topic work and other cross curricular activities. The children are encouraged to write for a wide range of purposes and audiences, throughout the key stages, in our cross-curricular approach to learning.

Pupils are encouraged to develop pride in the presentation of their own work by following a structured, progressive handwriting program. Writing success is celebrated through display, and certificate opportunities to inspire and motivate all pupils to achieve their full potential.

Through our creative literacy curriculum, we aim to develop a love of literature and language, with the confidence to continue developing their knowledge and skills to succeed in life.

T.Hales & G.Heald

Literacy Coordinator's