ENGLISH

Books are absolutely crucial in getting us thinking about new worlds, other people’s worlds, other people’s realities – because if we don’t have that, we’re stuck in our little bubble.

- Onjali Q Rauf

Why English Matters

At Furzedown, English sits at the heart of everything we do. The ability to read, write, speak and listen with confidence and purpose is not simply an academic skill — it is a passport to the world. Through language, children make sense of their own experiences, connect with the experiences of others and develop the voice to express who they are and what they believe.

We want every child at Furzedown to see themselves as a reader, a writer and a communicator. Literature opens doors to lives and perspectives far beyond our own — it builds empathy, sparks curiosity and gives children a way of understanding complex, sometimes difficult, aspects of the world around them. A child who has encountered injustice through a story, navigated a moral dilemma alongside a character, or seen their own identity reflected in the pages of a book, is better equipped to make sense of real life — and to make thoughtful, informed decisions within it.

 

English at Furzedown

Our English curriculum is built on a foundation of rich, diverse, high-quality literature. We draw on the approaches of the Literacy Tree and the CLPE Power of Reading to inform our teaching, using their frameworks for writing and reading to ensure clear progression, robust pedagogy and ambitious text choices.

Across reading, writing and oracy, learning is carefully sequenced so that skills build progressively from Reception through to Year 6. Children are immersed in language — reading it, discussing it, deconstructing it and using it as a model for their own composition. Cross-curricular links strengthen and deepen understanding, with English threaded meaningfully through history, geography, science and the arts.

Growing Confident Communicators

Children leave Furzedown as capable, curious and confident users of language. They are readers who love books and think critically about what they read. They are writers who have found their voice and know how to use it. They are communicators who can express themselves clearly, listen with care and engage meaningfully with the world around them.

By the end of Key Stage 2, we aim for every pupil to:

• read widely and with genuine pleasure, drawing on a rich repertoire of texts
• write with creativity, clarity and growing technical skill across a range of genres
• speak and listen with confidence, using language precisely and thoughtfully
• use language as a tool for understanding the world, exploring ideas and expressing their identity

Find out more about our English Curriculum here:

 Phonics & Early ReadingReading: Beyond Phonics Writing 

 

Latest News in English:

Year 4 have written some fantastic stories linked to their science topic - a first person account of their journey through the digestive system!  These are now published and available in our library for all children to enjoy.

 

English - Latest News - Y4 Science