English at Ribchester St Wilfrid’s
At Ribchester St. Wilfrid’s C of E Primary School, we believe the exposure of well-chosen, high-quality children’s literature is vital; not only within English as a subject but to support building a reading culture throughout the school and to develop a literacy rich environment. With this in mind, we have adopted and are adapting the use of Literacy Tree curriculum to best meet the needs of our pupils.
The Writing Framework (2025) states that:
“Proficiency in writing is a key skill throughout school and life. Being able to express ideas clearly and write fluently creates opportunities.”
“The national curriculum requires pupils in key stage 2 to write for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. However, it does not specify the text types that should be taught. Purpose and audience should underpin decisions about the form any writing should take, such as a narrative, an explanation or a description.”
Literacy Tree supports the use of high-quality books that offer opportunities for empathy and can aid philosophical enquiry, as a means of developing spoken language through debate, drama and discussion using the issues raised through, and within, the texts. Their vision is for excellence in literacy through an ambitious English Curriculum that places books at its core. The driver of our English Curriculum is high-quality texts which foster a love of reading and writing, inspiring children and igniting creativity.
By placing books at the core, teachers use the text as the context for the requirements of the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum (2014) states that: ‘‘This guidance is not intended to constrain or restrict teachers’ creativity, simply to provide the structure on which they can construct exciting lessons.”
This would suggest that a context for learning is vital – and this is where our chosen approach supports teachers with ensuring that objectives for reading and writing, including those for grammar, have purpose.
Writing opportunities are meaningful; whether short or long, and the audience is clear. Children have real reasons to write, whether to explain, persuade, inform or instruct and, where possible, this can be embedded within text or linked to a curriculum area. Writing in role using a range of genres is key to our approach, as is writing a critique of the text and making comparisons – all writing skills that support children in preparation for their time in secondary school.
This sits comfortably alongside the following statement from the English National Curriculum:
“The National Curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.”
Literacy Tree is a text-rich, spiral curriculum that builds in a layered approach. Teaching and learning cannot be a ‘one size fits all’ approach and so Literacy Tree’s text led English Curriculum has been shaped to enable all children, regardless of background ability or additional needs, to flourish through adaptation and flexibility within robust pedagogy. Teachers at Ribchester St. Wilfrid’s will use the resources to best meet the needs of the class
Reading at Ribchester St Wilfrid’s
At Ribchester St Wilfrid’s, we believe that reading is an essential life skill and the key to success in all areas of learning. We are committed to enabling every child to become a passionate, confident, and lifelong reader.
At the heart of our reading strategy is a drive to foster a genuine love of reading. Our reading areas throughout the school inspire children to pick up a good book, explore new stories, and immerse themselves in high-quality texts that spark imagination and curiosity.
In the early years and Key Stage 1, children begin their reading journey through daily phonics lessons, following the Read Write Inc programme. As their skills develop, children take part in shared, whole-class reading sessions, where they read and discuss a wide range of engaging texts.
We are proud to share a diverse range of books with our pupils — stories and texts that celebrate different ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, families, and experiences. By exploring this variety, our children develop empathy, understanding, and a broader view of the world around them.
We know that reading at home plays a vital role in helping children to become fluent and enthusiastic readers. We encourage parents and carers to read with their children every day, talk about stories together, and enjoy visiting libraries or sharing favourite books as a family. Working together, we can nurture a lifelong love of reading in every child.
Phonics at Ribchester St Wilfrid’s
At Ribchester St Wilfrid’s, we believe that learning to read opens the door to a lifetime of learning and enjoyment.
Phonics is a key part of early reading. It helps children learn the sounds that letters make and how to blend those sounds together to read words. Instead of memorising thousands of words, children use their phonics skills to ‘decode’ new words with confidence.
Research shows that phonics, when taught well, is one of the most effective ways to help children learn to read. These early reading skills give children the foundation they need to succeed across the whole curriculum.
We follow the Read, Write Inc programme, which provides a clear, structured approach to teaching phonics. The programme is split into four phases, usually taught from Reception through to the end of Key Stage 1. Extra support continues in Key Stage 2 for children who need it, ensuring that every child can become a confident, fluent reader.
English Policy Handwriting Policy Phonics Policy