Writing at Eyrescroft

At Eyrescroft, we believe that speaking, listening and vocabulary development underpins great writing. We carefully plan each journey of writing, considering our audience and purpose in each case.  Our children regularly engage with ‘Drama For Writing’, giving them the opportunity to discuss, formulate and present  ideas before putting pen to paper.  We are keen to expose the pupils to good examples of different text types and often link our writing to our class texts or wider curriculum to provide a context for them.  We immerse and develop our ideas by using conventions such as communal character and guided tour. In Reception and Key Stage One there is a great emphasis on the use of phonics as a foundation of early reading and writing. Displays around school are then used to celebrate the children's journey of writing. 

Click on the image below to see a video of how 'Drama For Writing' works in school.

Handwriting at Eyrescroft

At Eyrescroft we believe that presentation is a key factor in encouraging our reader to engage with our writing. We follow the Nelson Handwriting scheme.

Spelling at Eyrescroft

At Eyrescroft, we use the Rising Stars spelling scheme to ensure coverage and progression in key spelling rules and patterns.  Alongside this, we are introducing the children to key topic-related vocabulary and encouraging pupils to use word banks and dictionaries to self and peer assess and edit their writing.

Phonics at Eyrescroft

At Eyrescroft we follow the 'Little Wandle' program. This is a systematic approach that teaches children how to read and write using phonics. Children are grouped into phases from phase 2-5. We teach phonics twice a day where children are introduced to new sounds and tricky words. The progressive lessons follow a structure of “Revisit, Teach, Practice, Apply, Review”; in each lesson the children apply their phonic knowledge in their reading and writing. 

 

Reading at Eyrescroft

At Eyrescroft, our children begin their reading journey on our banded book selection - these books are grouped according to phonic phases, assuring the children can access the texts and develop their decoding skills.  Building on from this, children develop their reading fluency and move to the Accelerated Reader program, allowing them to independently check their comprehension and select books according to quiz scores.  Alongside this, every classroom has an area promoting reading and provides a selection of reading books which the children can choose from.  We also have a library, centrally located so that all classes can access the space.  This is used for sharing stories and books as a group as well as exploring new texts independently and in pairs.  Every class at Eyrescroft studies carefully chosen texts, linked to their wider curriculum, in depth.  By focusing on core texts for extended periods we hope to develop a real understanding of characters, relationships and plot whilst developing a love of reading. These texts are explored in daily reading sessions and also provide an opportunity for pupils to develop a range of comprehension skills, such as retrieval and inference. 

Click below to find out more about reading at Eyrescroft.