📚 English Curriculum at Ryton‑on‑Dunsmore CE Academy

At Ryton‑on‑Dunsmore CE Academy, we believe that all children - from EYFS to Year 6 - are entitled to an ambitious, knowledge‑rich English curriculum that enables them to become fluent, confident readers and writers who can successfully meet the demands of the secondary curriculum. English and communication are essential life skills, and our curriculum is designed to help children develop the knowledge and skills needed to communicate effectively, creatively and with purpose.

Our English curriculum is built around a selection of high‑quality, culturally important texts that enrich pupils’ knowledge and understanding. These texts form the stimulus for all reading and writing, enriching pupils’ personal and cultural capital and broadening their understanding of the world. We believe that for children to leave Ryton‑on‑Dunsmore as successful learners, they must have secure knowledge of a wide range of literature and the ability to draw on this knowledge in their own reading, writing and spoken language.

English lies at the heart of children’s intellectual, emotional and social development. It enables them to communicate for a variety of purposes, to explore their own and others’ experiences, and to develop empathy, imagination and critical thinking. For this reason, English skills are taught and developed across the entire curriculum.

Our Aims
We aim to:

• Equip children with a wide vocabulary and the skills to express themselves clearly and confidently in a range of situations
• Develop capable speakers and listeners who can make formal presentations, explain ideas, discuss thoughtfully and participate in debates
• Inspire a love of reading through exposure to high‑quality texts so that children become enthusiastic, life‑long readers
• Ensure all children read easily, fluently and with good comprehension, enabling them to access learning across the curriculum
• Enable children to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their style for different contexts, purposes and audiences
• Encourage children to enjoy writing and to use it independently to express their ideas, opinions and creativity

Through this approach, we ensure that every child develops the essential literacy skills needed to thrive academically, socially and personally - both now and in the future.