English Curriculum Statement

At Maplefields, we pride ourselves on offering a broad and varied English curriculum that spans all key stages and caters to a wide range of abilities. We plan and assess the needs of each individual learner to ensure they not only make good progress but also enjoy learning along the way. Reading opportunities are provided daily, both through independent reading and group sessions, with access to a large selection of texts. These include fiction from their favourite authors, as well as non-fiction, ensuring there is something for everyone.

Key skills are taught each term as part of a whole-school approach, helping students become familiar with essential language and concepts. This ensures they can build upon these skills throughout their time here. Our variety of teaching methods aims to equip all students with the qualifications they need to succeed in their next phase of education.

Learning extends beyond the classroom. We offer an outdoor classroom, local visits, guest speakers, a fully equipped drama room, and well-maintained outdoor spaces, all designed to stimulate minds and enhance learning.

English Curriculum Statement:

At Maplefields, our aim in English is to provide students with the opportunity to:

• Become fluent readers, developing the ability to read easily, fluently, and with good comprehension. We promote positive reading habits, encouraging students to read widely and often for both pleasure and information, progressing from phonics and decoding to a deep appreciation of our varied literary heritage.
• Build self-esteem through acquiring a wide vocabulary, understanding grammar, and mastering linguistic conventions for reading, writing, and spoken language. Students will draw on knowledge gained from stories, plays, poetry, non-fiction, and textbooks to improve fluency as readers, proficiency as writers, and comprehension across subjects.
• Develop independence through mastering basic skills, enabling them to write clearly, accurately, and coherently, adapting language and style for a range of contexts, purposes, and audiences.
• Foster communication skills and positive relationships through debates and presentations. Students will learn to research, form and justify arguments, and use increasingly complex language to elaborate on and explain their understanding.
• Build confidence through a structured and sequential learning process that allows for experimentation and informed judgment, linking to real-world concepts.
• Incorporate cross-curricular skills such as comprehension, supported by school programs, theatre excursions, ICT and media projects, and topic-based learning.

Key Stage 1 (KS1):

Our youngest students focus on developing literacy basics, including reading, writing, and speaking and listening. Lessons are delivered using Read, Write Inc. and supported by play, art, design and technology, ICT, and topic work, creating a multi-sensory approach. Key skills such as instructions and explanations, handwriting, spelling, punctuation, homophones, sentence structure, and paragraphing are covered through engaging texts like classic tales (e.g., Little Red Riding Hood), storyboards/sequencing, nursery rhymes, and the works of Julia Donaldson.

Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3/4):

In Years 3 and 4, students build on foundational literacy skills. Lessons continue to include Read, Write Inc. and incorporate play, art, design and technology, ICT, and topic work for a multi-sensory experience. Instruction covers key skills like handwriting, spelling, punctuation, homophones, sentence structure, and paragraphing, with texts such as fables, imaginative stories, non-chronological reports, fantasy (How to Train Your Dragon), and poetry.

Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5/6):

In Years 5 and 6, students further expand their literacy skills, preparing for more focused English lessons in future years. While lessons retain the multi-sensory approach, they place greater emphasis on building key skills. The curriculum follows a two-year rolling programme (A & B), covering texts such as The Jungle Book, recount texts (biographies and autobiographies), myths and legends, poetry, The Explorer, and persuasive writing

Key Stage 3 (KS3):

Year 7:

Year 7 marks the transition from a primary to a secondary model, and students will engage in a thematic approach, focusing on the concept of heroism to ensure a deep understanding of the topic. Through this lens, they will explore archetypes and stereotypes in various contexts.

Through the study of each text and writing genre, students will critically examine how their understanding of heroism is either reinforced or challenged. They will analyse Harry Potter, explore representations of social groups in newspapers, investigate Shakespearean heroes, delve into heroic figures in poetry, and engage with the classic adventure Treasure Island. Throughout this thematic exploration, students will also develop essential literacy skills—handwriting, spelling, punctuation, homophones, sentence structure, and paragraphing—while deepening their understanding of character development and societal representation.

Years 8/9:

Students in Years 8 and 9 follow a two-year rolling programme that focuses on developing key literacy skills as part of a whole-school approach. In Cycle A, the thematic focus is on morality and ethics. Students explore a variety of texts, including dystopian fiction, A Christmas Carol, persuasive advertising, Animal Farm, poetry from different cultures, and The Tempest. In Cycle B, the theme shifts to conflict and resolution, where students study Percy Jackson, non-fiction texts on community conflict, a modern play such as Our Day Out or Blood Brothers, poetry through music, and historical fiction such as Private Peaceful or War Horse, alongside Macbeth. Throughout both cycles, emphasis is placed on expanding vocabulary, honing grammar, and improving drafting skills. Individualized support is available through Read, Write Inc., Rapid Reader, and Fresh Start for students needing additional help with literacy development.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10/11):

In Key Stage 4, students prepare for their GCSE exams as well as City & Guilds Entry Level or Level 1 and 2 qualifications. They follow a two-year rolling programme that covers key texts such as Romeo and Juliet, Jekyll and Hyde, An Inspector Calls, and a selection of conflict poetry. In addition, students will engage with a variety of non-fiction texts that explore significant social issues. The curriculum emphasizes advanced skills, including analytical writing, non-fiction composition, extended response writing, and debating, while continuing to reinforce the whole-school termly focus on essential literacy skills.

Key Stage 5 (Years 12/13):

Students in Key Stage 5 have the opportunity to re-sit GCSE English or follow the Functional Skills programme to improve their qualifications, continuing to build on previous learning and refine essential literacy skills.