We believe that English skills should be embedded throughout the curriculum and we strive to ensure that they are woven into all aspects of learning. This cross-curricular approach enables the children to write for a real purpose and to make links between subjects.

Reading

At Court de Wyck, we teach early reading through the Unlocking Letters and Sounds phonics programme. Phonics teaching begins in Reception and is delivered daily through a structured and systematic approach. Children learn to recognise and use letter sounds, blend sounds to read words, and segment words for spelling.

As pupils progress through Reception and Key Stage 1, they build upon their phonics knowledge, developing fluency and confidence in reading and writing. By the end of Year 1, children are expected to apply their phonics knowledge effectively and take part in the national Phonics Screening Check.

Any pupils who require additional support receive targeted intervention to help them keep up with their peers and secure the knowledge and skills needed to become successful readers. Regular assessment ensures that teaching and support are tailored to pupils' individual needs, enabling all children to make strong progress in reading.

For further information, please see the Unlocking Letters and Sounds progression documents below.

Reading Scheme

At Court de Wyck, we promote a phonics-first approach to early reading. During guided reading sessions and through the books children take home, texts are carefully matched to pupils' current phonics knowledge, enabling them to practise and apply the sounds they have been taught while experiencing success as readers.

In the early stages of reading, we use fully decodable books from the Unlocking Letters and Sounds scheme. As children become secure and fluent readers, they move on to a wider range of texts that further develop their decoding, fluency and comprehension skills. Our aim is to nurture confident, enthusiastic readers who develop a lifelong love of reading.

Whole School Reading Challenge

Reading regularly at home is one of the most important ways parents can support their child's education. Frequent reading helps children to develop fluency, broaden their vocabulary, improve comprehension skills and foster a lifelong love of books.

To encourage a culture of reading both at home and at school, we run a whole-school Reading Challenge. Children are rewarded with certificates as they progress through reading milestones, celebrating their commitment to reading and the enjoyment they gain from books. Children can achieve the following certificates:

Emerald – 10 reads

Sapphire - 25 reads

Ruby - 50 reads

Bronze – 75 reads

Silver - 100 reads

Gold – 150 reads

Super Reader – 200 reads 

Spelling

At Court de Wyck, spelling is taught through the Unlocking Spelling programme from Year 2 onwards. The programme provides a carefully sequenced approach that enables pupils to build secure spelling knowledge and apply spelling patterns and rules with increasing confidence.

Children are taught and practise spelling strategies regularly in school, with ongoing assessment used to identify next steps and ensure learning is secure before moving on. This helps pupils develop the knowledge and skills needed to become accurate and confident spellers.

To support learning at home, children are given Common Exception Words (CEWs) each term to practise (see Class Pages). These words are assessed in school through termly spelling checks, enabling pupils, parents and teachers to celebrate progress and identify any areas requiring further support. Through this partnership between home and school, we aim to develop confident spellers who are well-prepared for future learning.

Foundational Knowledge – Grammar, Punctuation and Handwriting and Spelling

At Court de Wyck, grammar, punctuation and handwriting are taught daily as part of our English curriculum and foundational knowledge approach. Through carefully planned lessons, pupils develop a secure understanding of the grammatical structures, vocabulary and punctuation needed for effective communication.

Learning is taught progressively, allowing children to build upon prior knowledge and apply new concepts confidently. Regular opportunities for practice, application and review help pupils to embed key skills and develop accuracy over time.

Ongoing assessment enables teachers to identify and address misconceptions, ensuring that pupils develop a strong foundation in grammar, punctuation and handwriting that supports their success as writers both now and in the future.

Writing Units and Final Writes

Writing units are carefully planned around high-quality texts, rich vocabulary and engaging stimuli that promote a love of language and literature. These carefully chosen texts capture pupils' interest, stimulate their imagination and provide meaningful contexts for reading, discussion and writing.

Through a carefully sequenced approach, pupils develop the foundational knowledge, vocabulary, grammar and writing skills needed to become successful writers. Learning is planned to ensure that pupils build their understanding of different genres over time, revisiting and refining key knowledge and skills as they progress through the school. This enables children to produce Final Writes at the end of units with increasing confidence, accuracy and purpose for a range of audiences and contexts.