English | Ovingham Middle School

At Ovingham Middle School, we want all pupils to be passionate about reading and writing. We believe that a high-quality English curriculum should develop a pupil’s love of reading, writing and discussion and result in all of our pupils being highly competent readers and writers by the time they leave us. It is our intention to immerse pupils in the wonders of high-quality texts, inspire an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage, and, to instil a habit of reading widely and often. We aim to ignite their passion for discovery and build confidence so that pupils can explore their own imagination!

During their time at Ovingham Middle School, all pupils will be exposed to a high-quality education where they will learn to speak, read and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others, and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and coherently, and, can adapt their language and style for a range of contexts.

Discussion establishes a strong command of the spoken word, and a rigorous focus on handwriting, spelling, grammar, punctuation and language skills lead to increased confidence and fluency in pupils’ written work. This rigour is maintained and supported across the curriculum; at Ovingham Middle we believe pupils should be learning and applying high quality literacy skills in every subject, not just the English classroom.

We believe enrichment is key in driving achievement and energising creativity, as well as helping pupils to develop a greater understanding of diversity. This is high on our priorities here at Ovingham Middle and we offer pupils the opportunity to see plays in performance; take part in a school production; recite poetry and learn by heart; meet authors and poets; join reading groups; visit places that are contextually relevant and important in our studies; enter writing competitions; visit book fairs; use our wonderful, well-stocked library every day; borrow new and classic texts regularly; learn dramatic techniques and perform in front of their peers; as well as the all-important reading for pleasure.

The English curriculum is driven by our core HEART values. We expect pupils to reflect honestly, sharing their thoughts and opinions about literature as we strive for excellence through our high expectations in everything our pupils do. The inclusion of diverse texts promotes acceptance and tolerance of differences so that our pupils become confident and resilient learners who use discussion to communicate and collaborate with their peers, developing integral teamwork skills.

Throughout their time with us, the building blocks of learning are laid down meaning our pupils are consistently challenged to know more, remember more and do more. Curriculum content is carefully sequenced to enable a smooth transition to high school so that our pupils are well-equipped for the next stage of their learning when they leave us.