At Shakespeare Infant School, we believe English is at the heart of learning and provides children with the skills they need to succeed both in school and beyond. We aim to develop resilient, inquisitive and independent learners who can read, write and communicate their ideas confidently. Our integrated curriculum ensures that English is purposeful, meaningful and woven throughout children's learning experiences.

Children are immersed in a rich and engaging language environment where reading, writing, speaking and listening are valued equally. High-quality texts form the foundation of learning, exposing children to a wide range of authors, vocabulary and experiences that help them make sense of the world around them and develop a lifelong love of reading.

Early reading is prioritised through the consistent and systematic teaching of phonics. We teach phonics with fidelity to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, ensuring that all children develop secure decoding, fluency and comprehension skills. Daily phonics lessons and phonics blasts, regular assessment and targeted support enable children to make strong progress and become confident, successful readers. Carefully matched reading books provide opportunities for children to apply their phonics knowledge and experience success as they develop their reading skills.

Learning builds progressively through carefully sequenced projects that allow children to revisit and deepen their knowledge and skills over time. Through exciting hooks, meaningful outcomes and strong cross-curricular links, children are motivated to develop their writing skills for real purposes and audiences. Regular opportunities for talk, discussion, drama and role play support children in developing their vocabulary, oracy skills and confidence as communicators.

We believe that every child can achieve success in English. Our curriculum is designed to be inclusive, ambitious and responsive to the needs of all learners. Through high-quality teaching, engaging experiences and strong partnerships with parents and carers, we support children in becoming confident readers, thoughtful writers and attentive listeners. We recognise the vital role that phonics plays in laying the foundations for future literacy and are committed to ensuring that every child receives the support they need to become a fluent reader.

Through our English curriculum, we aim to nurture children who are expressive, creative and reflective, equipping them with the literacy skills, confidence and enthusiasm needed for their future learning and life beyond Shakespeare Infant School.