English

At Helmshore Primary School, we believe that Literacy is at the heart of children’s learning and unlocks access to the wider curriculum. Through language, children receive much of their knowledge and acquire many of their skills. Literacy and Language enables children to communicate with others effectively for a variety of purposes and lays the foundation for lifelong learning and work.

The acquisition of literacy skills will enable pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others.  Through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them.

We utilise ICT wherever possible to aid the teaching of reading and writing. Skills of handwriting, spelling, grammar and punctuation are taught in a progressive way throughout the primary years.

We aim to make reading enjoyable so children are highly motivated through a wide variety of texts both at home and at school. We feel it is important for children to be encouraged to read a whole range of different genres in different media giving the children the opportunity to find, select, summarise and link information from a variety of sources. All pupils are encouraged to read widely to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum.