English

English at Barnes…

Oracy

At Barnes Infant Academy, oracy is at the heart of our curriculum. We recognise that spoken language underpins all learning, and we prioritise the explicit development of vocabulary, sentence structure and communication from EYFS through to Year 2. Through carefully planned opportunities for discussion, storytelling and collaborative talk, children learn to speak clearly, listen attentively and express their ideas with confidence.

Our approach is rooted in progression across the physical, linguistic, cognitive and social aspects of oracy, enabling children to move from simple sentence construction to explaining, reasoning and building on the ideas of others . Vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited across the curriculum so that children can articulate their thinking using precise and ambitious language. This ensures all children, including those with EAL, develop the confidence and language needed to succeed across all subjects.

Writing

We aim to develop children who see themselves as writers and who write with confidence, creativity and purpose. Our approach to writing begins with fostering a love of storytelling, imagination and language through immersive, play-based experiences such as Drawing Club in Reception and Curious Quests in Year 1. These approaches place story, creativity and vocabulary at the centre of learning, encouraging children to “story dream”, explore ideas and develop their voice as writers.

Alongside this, we explicitly teach the mechanics of writing through our systematic phonics programme and a carefully sequenced approach to handwriting. Children develop secure foundations in letter formation, spelling and transcription through daily, structured practice that is taught in small steps, modelled clearly and built cumulatively over time. We explicitly teach and reinforce correct posture and pencil grip from the earliest stages, alongside tightly structured, progressive scaffolding to support accurate letter formation and control. Handwriting is prioritised to ensure children develop fluency, consistency and confidence as they move through Key Stage 1.

By combining creativity with strong foundational skills, children are able to write with fluency, confidence and independence, fully prepared for the next stage of their education.