English at Neyland Community School
Reading
At Neyland Community School we believe that reading underpins all aspects of our education and we strive to instil a love of reading in our learners.
Early reading starts in Nursery with excellent phonic teaching using the ELS programme. This is then continued through into Years 1 and 2.
You can find out more about our ELS programme by clicking this link.
We use a range of book banded schemes. This allows us to track every child ensuring that they are progressing continually with their reading.
Each class has a designated reading area to help promote the love and high importance that reading holds in our school. Alongside this we have our library, holding a range of fiction and non-fiction books which the children can take home daily along with a colour banded book. We work closely with Neyland Community Hub Library and issue all of our KS2 children with their very own library card.
All our parents are encouraged to share a book with their child, listen to them read and write a comment on our reading app Boom Reader.
Daily Whole Class Reading sessions give the children opportunities to develop skills such as inference, prediction, explanation and retrieval and explore the meaning of the books being read.
Our aim is for all our children to become accomplished and confident readers who have a love of reading for life.
Virtual Library
Check out our very own Virtual Library by clicking on this link.
Writing
In Neyland Community School our children develop the ability to write in a range of genres. We strive to ensure that our tasks are always purposeful with clear learning questions and seek 'real' audiences through publication and display.
At Neyland Community School we strive to provide experiences that support our learners to develop their own creative skills and flare. In the Foundation Phase we use oral work as a prelude to most writing tasks and vocabulary is explicitly taught. Writing tasks are broken down into different stages such as planning, drafting and editing. In Years 1-6 we promote shared writing, independent writing and redrafting of work.
Feedback and marking is immediate and carried out alongside the children. Verbal feedback is considered to be the most effective way for children to improve their work.
We follow the PENPALS for Handwriting scheme and children take part in weekly sessions. Skills are progressive from Reception to Year 6.
Speaking and Listening
Children in Neyland Community School develop their capacity to express themselves effectively for a variety of purposes. Using the Voice 21 approach, activities include listening, giving opinions, replying to instructions and questions, describing experiences and feelings. Speaking and Listening is explicitly modelled. All learners are expected to answer in full "Scholar" sentences. Learners are encouraged to agree, disagree and build on the opinions of others.
As the children progress they extend these skills to recount events, report, summarise and predict. School performances also enhance the skills of speaking and listening across the school.
Language, Literacy and Communication – Welsh
The Languages, Literacy and Communication Area of learning and experience aims to enable learners to gain knowledge and skills in Welsh and English.
The Four statements that express what matters in this Area should be addressed holistically. The skill of listening, speaking, reading and writing should be explored in relation to one another.
In Neyland Community School we encourage children to develop their language skills across all areas of learning and through extra-curricular activities. Every opportunity is taken to develop listening, reading, writing and speaking.
Provision to develop the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience in the Welsh Language include.
- Pembrokeshire's Welsh Language schemes for Nursery to Year 6
- Fflic a Fflac digital resources and Guided reading Materials
- Tric a Chlic
- Pod Antur Reading books
International Languages
International Languages play an important role in helping children become ambitious, confident learners and ethical, informed citizens. In line with the Curriculum for Wales, pupils develop an interest in other languages and cultures, learning to communicate in another language while building curiosity, respect and understanding of the wider world. Through our Primary Knowledge Curriculum (PKC), children are introduced to key vocabulary, sounds and simple structures, helping them make links with their learning in literacy and develop a positive attitude towards language learning.