English
English
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Teaching and Learning of English at Lime Tree Primary
At Lime Tree Primary, we believe that English is at the heart of all learning. Through inspiring and engaging texts, pupils develop confidence and creativity in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Lessons are centred around high-quality texts drawn from a range of genres. These are explored in depth, enabling pupils to become enthusiastic readers, thoughtful speakers and confident communicators.
Developing Oracy and Communication
At Lime Tree, we recognise that oracy (the ability to express oneself clearly and to listen and respond thoughtfully) is a vital foundation for success in all areas of learning. Speaking and listening are integral to every lesson and are embedded across the curriculum. Pupils are taught to articulate ideas, build vocabulary, and engage in discussion and debate, using ‘Roles for Discussion’ as a guide. They rehearse ideas orally before writing, use drama and role-play to explore texts, and learn how to adapt their spoken language for different audiences and purposes.
Teaching and Learning
Each English teaching sequence follows a clear and purposeful journey:
Immersion → Analysing Model Texts → Skills Development → Writing Process (Planning → Drafting → Editing → Revising → Sharing)
This approach allows pupils to study excellent examples of writing, develop specific skills, and apply them in their own compositions. Throughout, we teach children to:
Consider purpose and audience for their writing.
Choose vocabulary, tone and structure carefully.
Apply grammar and punctuation accurately.
Develop handwriting and spelling so that transcription becomes fluent and automatic.
English in the Early Years
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children work within the prime area of Communication and Language and the specific area of Literacy, as outlined in the EYFS Framework (2021).
Through stories, songs, rhyme and talk, children develop strong oracy, listening and early phonics skills. These experiences foster curiosity about language and build the secure foundations needed for later reading and writing success.
Writing
As pupils move through school, they learn to adapt their writing for different audiences and purposes. They explore how to structure and organise writing effectively, for example, through paragraphs, dialogue and cohesive devices.
Key skills such as spelling, handwriting, and phonics are taught through both discrete, systematic sessions and applied throughout the curriculum. Writing opportunities are embedded across all subjects, providing opportunities for children to apply their learning.
Reading
We want every child to leave Lime Tree as a fluent, confident and motivated reader.
Reading is taught explicitly in English lessons and across the wider curriculum.
In EYFS and Key Stage 1, pupils take part in daily phonics lessons, developing secure decoding and word-reading skills.
Children in EYFS and KS1 also join reading groups three times a week, where they apply their phonics knowledge and build comprehension.
In Key Stage 2, pupils take part in whole-class reading lessons that explicitly teach the skills needed for confident, independent reading.
We place a strong emphasis on reading for pleasure. Children have access to a wide range of books and authors, take part in shared reading experiences, and are encouraged to develop their own love of reading, a skill that lasts a lifetime!
Supporting Every Learner
We regularly assess pupils’ progress in reading, writing and oracy to ensure that everyone makes good progress. Where children need additional support with language development, transcription, composition or fluency, targeted interventions and high-quality teaching ensure that all pupils achieve success.
Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling
At Lime Tree, we teach grammar, punctuation, and spelling through carefully planned lessons that are embedded in our teaching sequences. Children do not just learn the rules in isolation, they apply them directly in their writing, helping them become confident, accurate and effective writers. From KS1 to KS2, Spelling Shed supports their spelling development, while grammar and punctuation are practised through engaging activities that feed straight into their writing outcomes.
At Lime Tree, we use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds as our systematic synthetic phonics programme.
Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised is a complete Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme (SSP) developed for schools by schools. It is a complete teaching programme that meets all the expectations of the National Curriculum and prepares children to go beyond the requirements of the Phonics Screening Check.
From Summer term in Year 2 and into KS2, we use Spelling Shed to support the teaching and learning of spelling, while continuing to apply phonic strategies to break down words and understand new spelling rules.
EYFS Milestones
EYFS Milestones
By the end of Reception, children will be able to:
Reading:
Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs.
Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound blending.
Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some high frequency words.
Demonstrate an understanding of what has been read to them by recalling and retelling stories and narratives using recently introduced vocabulary.
Anticipate, where appropriate, key events in a story.
Apply recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role-play.
Writing
To hear, say and write the dominant sounds in words.
To write words, using recognisable letters, which can be read by themselves and others.
To write the appropriate grapheme for the phoneme identified.
To write simple captions and sentences which are phonetically plausible.
To write a range of high frequency words correctly.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
To write your own name with a capital letter at the beginning.
To write CVC words with lowercase letters.
To write labels and captions as well as simple sentences
To begin to use finger spaces and full stops.
To write some high frequency words correctly.
Phonics
To recognise all Phase 2-3 graphemes.
To apply knowledge of Phase 2-3 phonics to their reading and writing.
To be able to read simple captions and sentences.
To be able to write a simple caption/sentence which is phonetically plausible and can be read by others.
To read and write a range of phase 3 high frequency non-decodable words correctly.
To read some phase 4 CCV, CCVC and CVCC words.
Year 1 Milestones
Year 1 Milestones
By the end of Year 1, children will be able to:
Reading
Apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words.
Read accurately by blending sounds in unfamiliar words containing GPCs that have been taught.
Read words containing taught GPCs and –s, –es, –ing, –ed, –er and –est endings.
Read words with contractions (for example, I’m, I’ll, we’ll), and understand that the apostrophe represents the omitted letter(s).
Re-read these books to build up their fluency and confidence in word reading.
Link what they read or hear read to their own experiences.
Recognise and join in with predictable phrases.
Discuss word meanings, linking new meanings to those already known.
Check that the text makes sense to them as they read and correct inaccurate reading.
Draw inferences on the basis of what is being said and done.
Participate in discussion about what is read to them, taking turns and listening to what others say.
Writing
To form lower case letters and keep it legible on a line.
To orally state sentences before writing them and read their work to check it makes sense.
To consistently use capital letters at the start of a sentence and a full stop at the end.
To recognise all vowels a, e, i, o, u.
To write questions using a question mark and an exclamation mark.
To join words and clauses using ‘and’.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
To identify and name all letters of the alphabet.
To know what a noun and verb are, giving examples.
To be able to add -s or -es to pluralise words.
To know the difference between a full stop, question mark and exclamation mark.
To understand and use the suffixes -ed, -ing, -est and the prefix un-.
To understand and use apostrophes for omission.
Phonics
To recognise all Phase 2-5 graphemes
To apply their knowledge of Phase 2-5 phonics to their reading and writing
To be able to write multiple sentences that can be read by others
To recognise and spell Phase 2-5 high frequency non-decodable words correctly.
Year 2 Milestones
Year 2 Milestones
By the end of Year 2, children will be able to:
Reading
Continue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words until automatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent.
Read accurately words of two or more syllables that contain the same graphemes as listed above.
Read further common exception words, noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word.
Read aloud books closely matched to their improving phonic knowledge, sounding out unfamiliar words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation.
Develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by listening to, discussing and expressing views about a wide range of contemporary and classic poetry, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently.
Become increasingly familiar with and retelling a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales.
Recognise simple recurring literary language in stories and poetry.
Discuss their favourite words and phrases.
Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher.
Draw inferences on the basis of what is being said and done.
Predict what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far.
Explain and discuss their understanding of books, poems and other material, both those that they listen to and those that they read for themselves.
Writing
To write sentences using different forms and the correct punctuation.
To use coordinating conjunctions such as (or, and and but)
To know what adjectives and adverbs are and use them in sentences, e.g. expanded noun phrases.
To use commas to separate items in a list.
To use the past and present tense correctly.
To write poetry.
To organise ideas into paragraphs.
To recognise different prefixes and suffixes.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
To write statements, commands, questions and exclamations, using the correct punctuation.
To know what an adjective and adverb are, using these in your writing.
To understand and use the suffixes -ly, -less, -full, -ment and -ness.
To understand and use subordinating conjunctions: when, if, that, because.
To understand and use coordinating conjunctions: or, and, but.
To use past or present tense consistently within a piece of writing.
To use a possessive apostrophe.
Year 3 Milestones
Year 3 Milestones
By the end of Year 3, children will be able to:
Reading
Read further exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound, and where these occur in the word.
Read books that are structured in different ways and read for a range of purposes.
Increase their familiarity with a wide range of books, including fairy stories, myths and legends, and retelling some of these orally.
Prepare poems and play scripts to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination.
Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context.
Draw inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence.
Identify main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph and summarise these.
Retrieve and record information from non-fiction.
Writing
To know how to look up words in a dictionary using the first three letters of a word.
To know what prepositions and determiners are and use them in writing correctly.
To check and edit work for punctuation and spelling errors.
Use inverted commas to punctuate direct speech.
To recognise and use subordinate and coordinate conjunctions.
To use stanzas to separate ideas in a poem not paragraphs.
To write a free verse poem.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
To know the difference between vowels and consonants.
To use the determiners ‘a’ or ‘an’ correctly.
To understand and use the prefixes: dis-, pre-, mis-, sub-, tele-, auto-, super-.
To understand and use paragraphs to organise ideas.
To know how to signify speech with speech marks.
Year 4 Milestones
Year 4 Milestones
By the end of Year 4, children will be able to:
Reading
Read further exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound, and where these occur in the word.
Read books that are structured in different ways and read for a range of purposes.
Increase their familiarity with a wide range of books, including fairy stories, myths and legends, and retelling some of these orally.
Prepare poems and play scripts to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination.
Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context.
Draw inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence.
Identify main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph and summarise these.
Retrieve and record information from non-fiction.
Writing
To use fronted adverbials in writing and add the commas afterwards.
To use apostrophes correctly.
To know the difference between plural and possessive apostrophes.
To vary verb use in sentences and know how this can change the meaning of a sentence.
To know how suffixes and prefixes alter a word.
To understand and write an effective plot in a narrative.
To understand themes.
To organise paragraphs around a theme.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
To understand and use fronted adverbials, including the use of a comma.
To understand and use the prefixes: in-, il-, im-, ir, anti-, inter- and suffixes: -ation, -ous.
To use a range of pronouns to avoid repetition in writing.
To use other punctuation within inverted commas.
To understand the present perfect verb form.
Year 5 Milestones
Year 5 Milestones
By the end of Year 5, children will be able to:
Reading
Apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (morphology and etymology), as listed in English Appendix 1, both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words that they meet.
Read books that are structured in different ways and read for a range of purposes.
Recommend books that they have read to their peers, giving reasons for their choices.
Learn a wider range of poetry by heart and prepare poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience.
Ask questions to improve their understanding drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence.
Summarise the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas.
Discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader.
Retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction.
Explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read, including through formal presentations and debates, maintaining a focus on the topic and using notes where necessary.
Writing
To recognise and use modal verbs correctly.
To know relative pronouns and write effective relative clauses.
To use a thesaurus independently for synonyms in writing.
To use commas, brackets and dashes for parenthesis.
To evaluate, assess and edit own work and others.
To use commas to avoid ambiguity.
To use expanded noun phrases and adverbials.
To build cohesion in writing.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
To understand and use modal verbs e.g. might, should, perhaps, surely.
To understand and use relative clauses.
To understand and use parenthesis, including use of commas, brackets and dashes.
To use hyphens to join words e.g. man-eating.
To use a range of devices to build cohesion across and within paragraphs.
To know the difference between modal imperative and subjunctive verb forms and use them in writing.
Year 6 Milestones
Year 6 Milestones
By the end of Year 6, children will be able to:
Reading
Apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (morphology and etymology), as listed in English Appendix 1, both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words that they meet.
Read books that are structured in different ways and read for a range of purposes.
Recommend books that they have read to their peers, giving reasons for their choices.
Learn a wider range of poetry by heart and prepare poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience.
Ask questions to improve their understanding drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence.
Summarise the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas.
Discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader.
Retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction.
Explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read, including through formal presentations and debates, maintaining a focus on the topic and using notes where necessary.
Writing
To understand and use colons and semicolons in writing.
To draft and write, describing settings, characters and atmosphere. Integrating dialogue to convey character and advance action.
To understand and use active and passive verbs.
To know the subjective form.
To know the difference between formal and informal speech and how to use appropriate vocabulary when writing for a specific audience.
To use morphology and etymology to clarify meanings of words.
To use different layout devices, such as headings, columns or tables to structure a text.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
To know what colon and semicolon are and use them correctly when writing.
To use passive and perfect forms of verbs.
To use bullet points and hyphens appropriately.
To use a wider range of cohesive devices to link ideas across paragraphs: repetition of a word, adverbials and ellipsis.
To apply knowledge of how words are related by meaning as synonyms and antonyms when reading and writing.
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