English

Mrs K Owen coordinates Writing at Gobowen Primary School. 

Mrs M Cameron coordinates Reading at Gobowen Primary School.

We recently trained all our teaching staff to use the Read, Write Inc system to raise standards of reading and phonics in Key Stage One. 

Talk 4 Writing 

We use elements of Talk 4 Writing, where appropriate, to aid pupils' oracy skills and support the process of writing. We learn a model text, draw a text map, orally rehearse the text map and then make changes to the text map in the 'innovation' phase so that a new piece of writing can be produced. 

Debate

We are currently focusing on debating as a skill in English across the school. Working on children's spoken language skills from the start of their journey in school in our nursery through to year six has a positive impact on confidence, social and interpersonal skills, as well as their ability to translate their thoughts and ideas to writing.

Our use of Talk4Writing aids this, where children from nursery and reception begin to tell stories and nursery rhymes aloud, using text maps. Children in key stage one are starting to verbally debate ideas and opinions linked to topics, such as 'Should fireworks be banned?' When children transition to key stage two, they progress to a formal debate set up to discuss opinions and argue their points formally. 

As well as using debate in the classroom, children have taken part in live debates in the hall, with governors and other classes invited to watch. As a UNICEF Rights Respecting School, children put ideas to school council and then debated 'Should we keep zones on the playground?' and the result from the vote was then actioned.

Mrs Owen currently hosts a debate club where a small group of children learn the art of debating and public speaking. 

We have been hosting debates in our school hall where other classes, teachers, school governors and parents have been invited to attend. 

Year 5 debated 'Schools should reduce the school week to 4 days'. The majority vote was in favour of the opposition. 

Year 3 debated that 'Everyone should switch to electric cars'. Again, the majority vote was in favour of the opposition. 

Debating, in a formal manner, in front of an audience, gives children the opportunity to practise their speaking and listening skills and develops their confidence further. Children have to think on the spot to produce relevant, concise arguments to points made by the opposing side. 

Author visits

Author Peter Bently came to visit our school in connection with the Shropshire Bookfest competition. He held workshops for year 1 and year 2 and signed his books for us. We very much enjoyed his visit.

Every child is a writer

Some of our writing displays and working walls

Read Write Inc

We use the Read Write Inc phonics scheme to aid spelling and then progress onto the Spelling Shed spelling scheme.

Link to the Early Years Reading - contains information about reading, phonics and homework scheme.

We subscribe to the Fiction Express website to encourage positive attitudes to reading. Interactive ebooks are published each week and the children vote on how they wish for the story to continue! Comprehension activities are also included. See the introductory video at - schools.fictionexpress.co.uk/en