English
At Pembury School we take an integrated approach to teaching English, following the requirements of the National Curriculum. Reading, writing and speaking & listening are taught through focused activities based on engaging, high quality texts. Throughout their time at Pembury School, children will experience a wide variety of texts and learn to write in all genres, leaving primary school with a love of reading and writing.
Writing
Handwriting
At our school, we follow the Read Write Inc. (RWI) Handwriting Scheme to help children develop clear, fluent and confident handwriting. The scheme supports children from the very beginning of their writing journey and builds strong foundations that they will carry through their school years.
It teaches children to form letters accurately and consistently through:
- Simple, memorable rhymes
- Clear visual demonstrations
- Frequent short practice sessions
- A focus on correct pencil grip and posture
The scheme ensures handwriting is closely linked to the phonics sounds children are learning, helping them to write the letters they read. It focuses on:
1. Forming Letters Correctly
Children learn to form each letter using a short rhyme (e.g. “Down the tower, across the tower” for t). These rhymes help children remember the correct movement.
2. Pencil Grip and Writing Position
Children are taught how to:
– Hold a pencil using a comfortable tripod grip
– Sit correctly at a table
– Position their paper so writing becomes smooth and controlled
Good habits start early, so these are reinforced regularly.
3. Consistent Letter Size and Spacing
As children progress, they learn to:
– Keep letters the same height
– Space words clearly
– Begin joining letters when they are ready (usually from Year 2 onwards)
4. Linking Handwriting With Phonics
Handwriting practice is built into daily phonics lessons, meaning children learn:
– The sound
– The letter shape
– How to write it
All at the same time.
How Parents Can Support at Home
You can help by:
– Encouraging your child to hold a pencil correctly
– Practising a few letters at a time using the RWI rhymes
– Praising neatness and effort, not speed
– Helping them develop strong fine-motor skills (e.g. playdough, colouring, threading)
Reading
At Pembury, children learn to read in English sessions and to apply and develop these skills across the curriculum. In whole class discussions and in small guided groups, children learn to discuss and develop their understanding of fiction and non-fiction texts. Classroom book corners are well resourced with engaging, up to date texts. We also have a very well-equipped, inviting library (Rainforest Reading Retreat) which is open to children during lunch breaks and for classes to visit regularly.
Speaking and Listening
Communicating effectively is a vital part of children’s learning. They are taught and develop speaking and listening skills in various contexts across the curriculum, such as collaborating with talk partners, asking and answering questions and presenting ideas to larger groups.
Phonics
Reading is taught at Pembury School using the Read Write Inc programme. From Reception, children are taught the sounds in English, the letters that represent them, and how to form the letters when writing. The Read Write Inc approach includes reading books written using only the letters and sounds they have learnt at each level (and a small number of separately taught ‘tricky words’). The programme continues through Key Stage One, where children attend a daily session in smaller groups tailored to their individual learning stages. The children read a variety of texts from the sets of brightly illustrated books that accompany the programme. Each session includes comprehension skills, spelling and sentence dictations (‘holding a sentence’) in order to support their reading and writing.
Celebrating Writing in school.
Lower Green Road, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4EB