Through a variety of activities, children develop their skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing – the principal components of National Curriculum English. Encouraging a love of books is central to the teaching of English. Children have access to the Prep Library Resource Centre, from which they may choose books that interest them, from a wide range of fiction and non-fiction. Year 6 also have their own dedicated Library in Trinity House, where they can find a selection of books appropriate to their age range. Opportunities also exist for children in Years 5 and 6 to become Librarians and Library Assistants.
An important part of our work is the focus on the development of skills in handwriting, spelling, grammar and punctuation, composition and comprehension. Tests are used regularly to monitor progress in these areas.
Through our teaching of French, we aim to encourage positive attitudes to foreign languages, broaden horizons through intercultural understanding, and foster a love of learning languages at an age where children are often very receptive to it.
There is a strong emphasis on French phonics in order to create learners who are more confident in reading out loud and dealing with unfamiliar language. Topics included in French lessons include: phonics; the alphabet; greetings; story telling; numbers; colours; French celebrations; parts of the body; the planets; French café; tongue twisters; expressing likes and dislikes; extending sentences; present and future tenses and study of a film.
