Subject Report 2021

Subject English Report prepared by Sue Tancock

Overview of the year:
Phonics and early reading continued as the main focus throughout the year, to build upon the changes that were implemented
last year following support from a DfE appointed English Hub School. After the first national lockdown (March 2020), this was
more important than ever so to ensure any gaps in phonics were addressed and children could learn to read as quickly as possible.
This would help them to access all curriculum areas and acquire knowledge in addition to supporting the foundations for writing.
To help identify gaps in learning, phonics assessments took place and NTS Assessments were introduced for reading, grammar
and spelling. These also helped teachers to strengthen their assessment judgements and allow a comparison of data across the
Trust. Whole staff phonics and reading training took place at the start of the autumn term. Our staff body has grown significantly
and it is essential that the phonics provision is consistent across the school. All staff have developed their skills and confidence to
support and lead phonics sessions as we have endeavoured to spilt provision across Reception and Key stage 1 into multiple
groups to meet the needs of our children. All staff have also been involved in leading and supporting whole class guided reading
lessons that were introduced during the year. Reading for pleasure continued as high on the agenda, with a range on initiatives
and events, to ensure we inspire children within the Cambridge community to develop a love of books and reading. As our
curriculum development has continued, we have ensured that our English planning is based on rich texts that inspire the children
and develop their vocabulary. Our fast feedback approach has also been developing in response to our children, as we find the
best model for encouraging them to assess, edit and improve their writing without having an impact on teacher workload.
Curriculum: Intent, implementation, Impact
Intent
The teaching of English at The Cambridge is designed to instil a love of spoken language, reading and writing that will last children
a lifetime. It is viewed as a fundamental part of the holistic development of the child, fostering positive behaviours and attitudes
toward learning whilst developing our key learning characteristics of being brave, innovative, collaborative and taking ownership.
Giving pupils the key skills in English, enables them to access material in all curriculum areas, and provides a foundation for their
learning throughout their school career and beyond. To achieve this, we are focused on making English interesting and exciting
by engaging the pupils with the joy and wonder of books and capturing their imagination both inside and outside of school.
When leaving the Cambridge, we aim for children:
 To communicate effectively, with a command of Standard English, through active listening and responding. To be confident
to speak in a range of situations and for different purposes. To use a broad, deep and rich vocabulary with an understanding
of strategies to continue to build this element of language.
 To be excited and motivated to read for pleasure. To demonstrate enthusiasm and confidence when discussing the wide range
of authors, illustrators and text types they know. To be curious to explore new texts and question what they have read. To
value the use of text as a tool for a gaining deeper understanding of areas of interest or for investigation including knowledge
about themselves and the world in which they live.
 To communicate with confidence through their writing by adapting language and style to write different text types for a range
of purposes and audiences. To write fluently with a high standard of grammar and spelling.
Implementation (including the rationale for curriculum organisation and time allocation)
Spoken Language
 At the heart of every interaction with every child throughout all curriculum subjects and learning opportunities.
 Adults model effective communication and remodel inaccurate grammar.
 Planning throughout the curriculum provides opportunities for the children to collaborate with partners, small groups and the
whole class to discuss ideas, develop their thinking and rehearse what they are going to write.
 In Reception, the skills of talking to a partner and in a group are explicitly taught subsequently entering Key Stage 1 with these
skills embedded.
 English and guided reading planning includes opportunities for debate which encourages children to have and justify their
own views thus raising the profile of and promoting individual liberty. There are also opportunities for performance,
presentation, recitals and ‘hot seating’ to explore characters and themes in stories.
 ‘Story Telling’ takes place across the school; an activity which develops the children’s confidence to explore the structure of
narrative, story language, listening skills and collaboration.
 We have successfully enrolled on the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), which is designed to improve the spoken
language ability of children in Reception classrooms. All of the Reception children have completed an assessment and
currently the Learning Support Assistants are receiving training in how to develop children's language skills.
Phonics
 Phonics is taught through the Letters and Sounds Programme (DfES 2007), which is recommended for teaching children to
read (Rose Review 2006, Bold Beginnings 2017). Images, actions and rhymes from the Jolly Phonics Programme are used to
supplement teaching and aid the children’s recall. All resources, such as sound mats and flash cards, are consistent across the
school. Planning follows the order of a long-term plan (created and monitored by the English lead) which covers the sounds
and words taught during each Letters and Sounds phase. The reading and spelling year group expectations of the National
Curriculum are also included to ensure coverage.
 Reception: The children begin phonics lessons following the baseline assessments that take place during their first two full
weeks in school.
 Key Stage 1: At the beginning of each year, the children begin phonics lessons as a whole class whilst undergoing assessments
before they are swiftly split into ability groups to complete their phonics learning.
Reception Year 1 Year 2
20 minutes x5 weekly 25 minutes x5 weekly 25 minutes x5 weekly
(Phase 2 whole class then 3x ability groups) (4 ability groups) (4 ability groups)
 Phonics lessons are taught by teachers and Learning Support Assistants. The adults move groups on a regular basis and
movement between groups is fluid for the children so they are learning at an accurate level and pace.
 Assessment: The children are assessed during assessment week each term. They are assessed on their recall of the phoneme-
grapheme correspondences on their own and within words, in addition to recalling the tricky words. Teachers analyse the
results to ensure any gaps can be addressed.
 Home learning: Weekly letters contain focus sounds and words with suggested games and activities.
Reading
 Individual reading: Children read their phonic reader book to an adult once each week. Children identified as not reading
frequently to an adult at home, read to an adult in school on a more regular basis.
 Daily readers: the lowest 20% of children in each class read to an adult daily.
 Books: Children are assigned a phonic reader book once a week. These books are fully decodable and organised in book boxes
to match the sequence of the Letters and Sounds Programme. The book allocated to the child matches, as closely as possible,
the sounds and words the child is currently learning. They are encouraged to read this book daily to develop fluency and
understanding.
 Guided reading: Develops comprehension skills, knowledge of authors, illustrators and text types. Planning is linked with the
text and topic that is the current focus of English lessons. Engaging dog characters are used to develop the different aspects
of comprehension. In Key Stage 1, the medium term plans highlight opportunities for the children to display the school’s
learning characteristics (brave, innovate, collaborate and ownership).
Reception Year 1 Year 2
10 minutes x3 weekly 30 minutes x3 weekly 30 minutes x4 weekly
Whole class Whole class (2x whole class, 2x ability groups)
 Home learning: Parents are encouraged to hear their children read daily.
Promoting a Love of Reading
 Stories form the basis for continuous provision in Reception, weekly planning across all areas of learning and teaching
sequences in Key Stage 1, leading to daily discussion about the text.
 Daily story time takes place in every class with adults reading stories to the whole class.
 Parents are encouraged to read to their child regularly at home, including reading challenges e.g. Reading in unusual places.
 Books: Children choose a family reader book every day from any book band that they are expected to share with their family,
inspiring a love of reading through the shared experience of reading together.
 Mystery Readers: members of our community visit classes regularly to share a story and provide diverse reading role models.
These have become virtual visits.
 World Book Day: a whole school theme of The Day the Crayons Quit.
 A weekly bedtime story on Zoom when different staff members read a story.
 Star readers: Each half term, the staff nominate a child from each class who has shown great effort in their reading. They have
a book delivered to their door.
 Book buddies: On the last Friday of every month, the children bring a book to school and share it with their friends.
Writing
Reception
 Mark making, the precursor for writing is promoted from the earliest stages so children are encouraged to see themselves as
independent writers.
 Daily literacy whole class teaching sessions lasting for 15 to 20 minutes.
 Medium term plans outline the structure of the lessons within each topic, with links to all the related areas of learning.
 Rich, model texts, which change weekly, inspire the planning. Objectives are repeated to allow them to be achieved and
embedded. Planning includes a section on continuous provision (enabling environments) with activities, resources and
opportunities to inspire child-initiated writing. The Reception teachers create the medium term plans.
 Writing is modelled during whole class teaching and practised during phonics and continuous provision.
 Spelling: Segmenting words to spell is taught in phonics lessons and modelled during all whole class teaching whenever words
are written. The use of sound mats is modelled and encouraged as a form of support for the children to develop independence.
 Grammar: Punctuation is discussed and modelled. Sentences are remodelled verbally, if inaccurate grammar is used.
 Handwriting: Fine motor control is developed and hands are strengthened through finger gym and dough disco activities.
Letter formation in the precursive style is modelled by adults during whole class teaching. Children are encouraged to write
in the precursive style but teachers ensure this does not prevent enthusiasm and child-initiated writing.
Key Stage 1
 Daily English lessons lasting an hour.
 Over a term, children have the opportunity to focus on elements of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. They look at and rehearse
features of rich, model texts across a range of genre and contexts. Teaching strategies include modelled, shared and guided
writing, leading to the children innovating, composing and producing their own writing. Time is then spent self-assessing and
editing to improve their work. Year groups create their planning following a collaboration meeting with the English lead
following which medium term plans are written by class teacher or planning appears in note form on the Smart board screens
due to workload. Planning highlights opportunities for the children to display the school’s learning characteristics (brave,
innovate, collaborate and ownership).
 Spelling: Taught through phonics lessons and includes segmenting words to spell and learning the spelling rules. It is modelled
during whole class teaching whenever words are written. The use of sound mats and displays are modelled and encouraged
as a form of support for the children to develop independence.
 Grammar and punctuation: This is taught within the structure of English lessons as a discrete lesson starter. Activities are
taught in relation to the text and genre with the aim of the children embedding and consolidating the skills within their work.
 Handwriting: In Year 1, there is one discrete handwriting lesson weekly when the pre-cursive style is perfected and regular
practise during morning work. In Year 2, there are three 10-minute handwriting lessons each week with a focus on letter joins,
forming letters of the correct size in relation to one another and how the letters are placed relating to the line.
 Target cards: The children have a writing target card for each term. These list the term’s assessment objectives, the common
exception words and other key prompts regarding punctuation and grammar. The children are encouraged to use their target
card in any subject when they are writing with the aim of ensuring the children understand that writing in any subject should
be of the same quality as it is in English lessons.
Topics taught across each year group with current texts used to engage, inspire and exemplify (subject to change)
AT1 AT2 SP1 SP2 SU1 SU2
EYFS Do you want to be friends? What happens when I Commotion in the Can you tell me a Are we there yet? Do cows drink milk?
The Social Butterfly fall asleep? Ocean Story? Handa’s Surprise Farmyard Hullabaloo
Lost and Found The Owl who was Commotion in the Little Red Riding Walking Through the A Squash and a Squeeze
Always There Bear Afraid of the Dark Ocean Hood Jungle What the Ladybird
My Friend Bear The Darkest Dark The Rainbow Fish The Great Fairy Tale Chapatti Moon Heard
Otto the Book Bear Toys in Space The Night Pirates Disaster Meerkat Mail The Cow that Laid an
Whatever Next! Mister Seahorse The Gingerbread Man Egg
A Place for Pluto Tiddler The Enormous Turnip Farmer Duck
How to Catch a Star The Pig in the Pond
Stickman
Y1 Bright Lights, Big City Memory Box Moon Zoom Superheroes Paws, Claws and The Enchanted
The Queen’s Handbag Queen Victoria’s Beegu Traction Man is Here Whiskers Woodland
Queen Elizabeth II Bathing Machine Going into Space If I was a Superhero The Just So Stories Tidy
Wilfred Gordon Man in the Moon Tigers Through the Forest
McDonald Partridge Here Come the The Tiger who Came to
Aliens Tea
Y2 Muck, Mess & Mixtures Castles Street Detectives Land Ahoy Up, up & Away Movers & Shakers
George’s Marvellous The Kiss that Missed On the Way Home Tom the Pirate Mrs Armitage on Wheels How to be Extraordinary
Medicine Last Stop on Market Grace Darling
The Magic Box Street
I Want an Iguana

What have you done to confirm that everything in the National Curriculum is covered?
The long term plan for phonics and spelling was cross-checked with the spelling appendix of the National Curriculum for Year 1
and 2 and the Letters and Sounds document to ensure coverage. The National Curriculum objectives for spoken language, reading
and writing are included in the Trust assessment statements and medium term plans and will be compared to ensure there are
opportunities to achieve them.
How do you ensure every skill is taught within your subject?
Skills progression maps have been created for spoken language, phonics, reading and writing. These have been crosschecked with
the National Curriculum and the Scholar pack assessment statements to ensure coverage. These will be verified and evaluated
against the medium term plans for guided reading and English. Once complete, planning can be adapted and amended so the
skills for each year group are included.
What does Live Marking look like in your subject? What training and development have you
How do you know this has been effective for children’s progress? received in your subject?
What has been the impact of this on the
children?
Spoken language Adults provide immediate feedback to enhance spoken August 2020-Research was carried out to deliver
language skills and rephrase incorrect grammar. Progress is clear through whole school phonics and reading training
continual dialogue with the children. (2/9/2020). Impact: Staff evaluation revealed an
Individual Reading Adults provide immediate feedback to promote decoding increase in confidence in their subject
strategies, develop fluency and comprehension. Misconceptions are knowledge. This resulted in more staff ready to
addressed and challenge provided through questioning. Progress is shown lead phonics groups enabling more
through developing fluency, achieving higher running record assessments and differentiation within year groups and targeted
increased scores in the NTS reading papers. teaching.
Phonics and Guided Reading Adults use a technique called ‘helicoptering’ to
Sept 2020-Research into the Nuffield Early
monitor the children’s learning within a lesson so they can provide immediate
Language Intervention (NELI) was carried out to
personalised feedback (known as FAST feedback). This is to address
gain understanding of the benefits of the
misconceptions or provide further challenge. Progress in phonics is shown
programme. As a result, we applied and gained
with increasing reading fluency due to faster decoding and progressively
fully funded access to the programme including
confident spelling in writing. An increased score on the phonics tracker
training for two teachers and two LSAs. Impact:
assessment sheets also evidences progression. Progress in reading
Staff members upskilled in targeting vocabulary,
comprehension is shown through achieving higher running record
narrative skills, active listening and phonological
assessments and increased scores in the NTS reading papers.
awareness.
Writing Adults use ‘helicoptering’ as mentioned above and FAST feedback is
given. Children highlight errors that they correct themselves before reflecting October 2020-Research, including a parent
and identifying their next steps. This often occurs during pupil conferencing survey, was carried out to plan the parent
with an adult or with their peers. The outcome of the discussion is recorded in Phonics and Reading Workshop, (9/11/2020).
the books once a fortnight, by the child (I spoke to my teacher/ friend and…), Impact: Through the phonics and reading surgery
by the adult (verbatim), or with a stamp that says, ‘Verbal Feedback’. Writing that followed the workshop, it was evident that
progress is shown during ‘book scrutiny’ (21/10/2020) when writing is the parents’ subject knowledge had increased in
compared across a period of time and through formative and summative addition to ideas for supporting their child at
assessment teacher assessment. home.
Impact
Learning walks, observations, moderation, book looks, planning scrutiny and pupil progress reviews all play a part in monitoring
the quality and the impact of the English provision across the school. Where gaps are noticed, provision is put in place.
Phonics
In 2020, phonics was assessed in Reception and Key Stage 1 each term (where possible). Children read the sounds for the phases
they had been taught individually and within words. Their tricky word knowledge was also assessed. This information was
recorded onto a spreadsheet to track progress. This assessment clearly identified gaps in sound knowledge, and subsequently,
the children moved groups so their needs could be met and any gaps plugged. This proved useful following the first lockdown.
The Phonics Screening Check (PSC) was postponed for Year 1 children in June 2020 due to the pandemic, and rescheduled for
Autumn 2.

The groups performing well in the check were Spring born and Not SEN which mirrors the attainment for the year group. SEN and
boys who have the lowest progress in reading, were also the lower attaining groups in this assessment. In the national data these
groups achieved a similar percentage of 43% (SEN) and 78% (boys).
Reading
Reception: Anecdotal evidence of reading behaviours and responses to reading are recorded in various ways including on Tapestry
(an online Learning Journal) and as written notes that are added to the child’s assessment file. Formative notes are kept on class
tick sheets for individual reading and running record assessments provide a picture of the child’s reading behaviours. These
Key Stage 1: Formative notes are kept on class tick sheets for individual reading in addition to various other sources such as guided
reading notes, running record assessment and the NTS Reading Assessment Papers.
The elements of formative assessment help teachers to form judgements when making summative assessments against learning
statements on Scholarpack at data checkpoints throughout the year. This is consistent across the Trust. Reading data is analysed
and pupils requiring and receiving intervention are identified and discussed during Pupil Progress reviews.
Writing
Reception: Child-initiated writing is collected as evidence of writing development in the child’s individual file. This is used to inform
the summative assessment judgements using learning statements on Scholarpack at data checkpoints throughout the year.
Key Stage 1: Following writing tasks, FAST feedback and pupil conferencing, teachers complete a book look to identify outcomes
which are recorded on the formative mark books on Scholar. These judgements in addition to an independent writing task
(completed each half term) and the GAPs Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Assessment Papers (completed termly), help inform
the summative assessment judgements for the data checkpoints.
Writing moderation takes place in year groups and across the school at data checkpoints, in addition to across the Trust. This helps
to strengthen assessment judgements. Writing data is analysed and pupils requiring and receiving intervention are identified and
discussed during Pupil Progress reviews.
What have we done in 2020?
Implementation Cost Impact
Phonics taught every day for 20 minutes in Reception and Year No cost Year group timetables are monitored. Data
One, to ensure phonics teaching is prioritised. on Phonics assessment tracker analysed each
half term and utilised in pupil progress
meetings. Data from PSC 2020 is 82%, which
is comparable to National data.
Phonics began almost immediately in Reception with whole class No cost Tracking shows an increase in scores across
teaching before grouped by ability. Ability grouping in all year Reception and Year 1. Year 1 Autumn 2 data
groups, upskilling LSAs with phonics knowledge and confidence. already shows 58.3% as achieving the
standard for the PSC.
Phonics assessments take place every half term to identify gaps, No cost Enabled small steps in progress to be
put in place interventions and accelerate progress. identified. Gaps easily identified and
addressed. Inconsistent completion of the
assessment sheet led to review.
Phonics training for all staff, led by subject lead. No cost Adults teaching and supporting early readers
are only to promote applying ‘phonic
knowledge and skills as the route to decode
words’ (National Curriculum 2013).
Reading books purchased as ‘Phonic Readers’ (see below) and £3191.95 There is a clear structure to the progression
reorganised to follow the sequence of the Letters and Sounds in the books, particularly those in the Phase
Programme. 2 and 3 boxes when they are organised in
letter sets.
Books are categorised as: ‘Phonic Readers’ – read by the child, No cost Consistent scheme of progression through
match current learning and reread for fluency. ‘Family Readers’- reading – all adults able to ‘change’ books
read to the child, to develop a love of reading through the shared accurately. Reduced number of ‘lost’ books.
experience. Books are logged and tracked on Book Buddy. £7.99
‘Supporting Reading at Home’ booklet created for parents Release time Feedback from parents positive and used to
including guidance on asking questions to support the for English inform support given to parents.
development of specific comprehension skills. Lead (supply Improvement in home school partnership
covered in and impact of support at home in reading.
Phonics and early reading audit completed by parents and
house - no
results used to plan the Phonics and Reading Workshop
cost)
(9.11.2020). A Phonics and Reading surgery was held (16.11.20)
following the workshop, to respond to parents’ questions
regarding supporting their child with phonics and reading.
Whole class guided reading taking place across all year groups. Planning time Year group timetables are monitored to
Feedback from Year 2 and Year 1 and data analysis (CP2) ensure guided reading is scheduled. English
following the introduction of the NTS Reading Assessment Lead planning guided reading across
papers: Lessons need more differentiation to enable the MA to Reception and Key Stage 1 with a skills focus.
practise higher-level texts and questioning and LA children to Learning walks show children engaged in
enhance their fluency and build stamina to read larger passages
of text and therefore the confidence to tackle the tests.
Investigate early reading assessment.
PM Benchmark purchased but does not suit early readers. Visit
other schools who do not use Letters and Sounds. How can we
assess fluency? (not subjective)
Monitoring of English-develop an efficient, rigorous monitoring
system of: Phonics teaching and learning, Guided reading
teaching and learning and English teaching and learning.
Investigate high quality texts to support English teaching.
Consultation with teachers when planning topic overviews.
Research books using recommended websites such as The Book
Trust and Books for Topics. A small collection of quality texts to
support the curriculum.
Events held to promote a love of reading:
 Favourite Five (author studies-Oliver Jeffers, Julia
Donaldson, Ed Vere, Giles Andreae, Martin Waddell)
 Bedtime Story- (virtual) with parents
 WBD-whole school theme (The Day the Crayons Quit (March
2020)
 Book Buddies (once a month)
 Mystery readers (virtual)
Total
What is the action plan for 2021?
Implementation
Phonics – To raise progress and attainment
Analyse and compare data (PSC, phonics assessment tracker).
Introduce a mock Phonics Screening Check during each
assessment week for children in Year 1 (and those children in
Year 2 who did not meet the threshold in Year 1).
Monitor phonics teaching and learning.
Provide in house, annual and ‘top up’ training for all staff to
continue to build knowledge, skills and confidence.
Reading – To raise progress and attainment
Review, revise and streamline the recording for formative
internal reading assessment (book box, phonics phase, running
record assessment, age, year group and coloured book band).
Monitor progress and attainment (particularly lowest 20%).
Top up of early reading books (pink) to ensure there are £2250
adequate books for Reception classes and LA readers throughout
KS1. Purchase engaging books for MA children in KS1 and Year 3.
Increase parental engagement (questionnaires, workshops and
newsletters).
Quality guided reading planning for quality texts across KS1.
Reading for Pleasure– To continue to engage children in reading No cost
for enjoyment
guided reading sessions and all staff leading
guided reading groups/activities.
£262.50 Adapted the lower level PM Benchmark
running record assessments for early readers
to ensure they are fully decodable and match
the Letters and Sounds structure. Fluency is
part of the assessment but it is subjective.
Staff training in completing running records
provided (9.12.2020)
Release time Learning walks, data analysis and book
for English scrutiny completed but not rigorous.
Lead (supply
covered in
house - no
cost)
No cost Consistent and quality planning across the
school, planning skills modelled by English
lead.
£60 Children have clearly enjoyed the events held
which have also been supported by the
parents.
£3522.44
Cost Impact
No cost Quality and consistent phonics provision
across the school, accelerated progress for
those children identified through data
analysis and a collective shared vision for the
teaching and learning of phonics across the
school – all staff confident and aware of this.
Data analysis, Pupil Progress meetings and
Case studies (lowest 20%) to ensure
accelerated progress and targeted
interventions. Monitor the use of running
record assessments to ensure accurate and
consistent use. Continually check stock in
pink book boxes. Monitor Book Buddy use to
track stock and prevent missing books. Pupil
conferencing, learning walks, lesson
observations, and data analysis to ensure
£250 high quality, consistent teaching and
learning.
Complete impact surveys with teachers,
children and parents to review reading for
pleasure initiative.
Attend Open University Reading for Pleasure Network and
identify and begin to implement areas for development on a
development plan.
Continue to hold events to promote reading for pleasure (‘a book
buzz’) (bedtime story, Favourite Five-author studies, WBD,
mystery readers)
Create an overview of recommended texts for each year group
that should be read for pleasure.
Poem a day initiative to widen children’s experience of poetry
and promote vocabulary
Writing – To raise progress and attainment Pupil conferencing, learning walks, lesson
Research the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach for teaching writing as No cost observations, and data analysis to ensure
a consistent strategy for teaching English. Consult with staff and high quality, consistent teaching and learning
English leads within the Trust. From this-formulate a sequence including the strategies introduced through
for teaching writing. Provide training for staff. training.
Purchase high quality texts to support English teaching. £250
Raise the children’s awareness of grammar and punctuation.
Lessons in KS1 to include a starter activity to explicitly teach or
rehearse grammar and punctuation previously taught.
Consistent grammar displays across KS1.
Research strategies/ schemes for teaching spelling in KS2 in
preparation for Year 3.
Spoken Language – To raise attainment in EYFS and develop EYFS data analysis, pupil conferencing,
vocabulary across the school learning walks, lesson observations, book
Introduce the NELI (Nuffield Early Language Intervention) to No cost- scrutiny.
Reception. Children assessed and identified to participate in the research
intervention. Two teachers and LSAs receiving training. project
Talk for writing ‘type’ approach for teaching writing introduced
which will have a strong focus on developing rich vocabulary.
‘Wonder words’ displayed consistently in each classroom. This is
to collect new and exciting vocabulary from reading and the
poem a day that can be used in writing. Key vocabulary for topics
and units of work displayed in class and on Smart Notebooks.
Dictionaries and Thesaurus use promoted in KS1. £200
Total £2950.00