Intent

Our aim at Four Dwellings is to provide all pupils with opportunities to become fluent readers, writers and communicators. 

It is our intention that all of our children actively engage in an enriching learning experience. We aim to immerse children in quality texts allowing them to foster a love for reading, a passion for learning and the confidence to explore the wonders of literature. 

Our goal is to provide all children with the opportunity to acquire a wide and rich vocabulary and apply this in deliberate and meaningful ways.

We strive for every child to be competent speakers and listeners, allowing them to fully participate in society, making them successful within Four Dwellings and beyond.

Talk for Writing at FDPA

We teach writing through Pie Corbett's 'Talk for Writing' model. Talk for writing is used to teach fiction, non-fiction, and poetry through a three-week cycle:

Imitation

This stage involves retelling a text until it is internalised and can be told fluently. It also involves analysing the text and identifying the structural and language features.

Innovation

This stage involves using the model from the imitation stage and developing the text.

Independent Application

This involves inventing a new text or story independently and applying the features taught throughout the unit. To support our pupils with this, we expose them to a wide range of high-quality texts which allow them to write for a purpose and learn new language.

Reading at FDPA

Reading is a priority at FDPA. We recognise that reading will be a defining factor in a child’s progress. We believe that every child should have access to a wide range of texts and that they should be taught how to read passionately, competently and articulately. We know that all children can achieve academic success, using reading as a gateway to the curriculum, regardless of their background. 

At FDPA, we immerse all pupils in positive reading experiences across the entirety of the curriculum. Through this, they find enjoyment in reading and their learning. We teach all reading domains so that the pupils are equipped with the skills to regularly access new and challenging texts. Pupils leave Four Dwellings as fluent readers, writers and communicators, ready for future success at secondary school and beyond.

Reading is taught based on a carefully selected reading spine. Non-fiction texts are chosen based on relevant topics and themes that occur within the reading spine; this supports acquisition of new vocabulary and background knowledge. 

Extracts and texts are annotated for all pupils to gain a deeper understanding. All age appropriate reading domains are explored and close reading is used as a specific strategy to develop inference skills.

We teach reading through:

• Teaching of Reading lessons

• Comprehension lessons

• Phonics

• Reading for pleasure

• Accelerated Reader

• Reading Gladiators

• Home reading

Spelling

At Four Dwellings, we aim to develop our children into confident spellers so they have the freedom to express themselves through a wide range of vocabulary. We teach different spelling rules and we also teach words from the statutory spelling list within the National Curriculum. Our taught lessons are based on the 'No Nonsense Spelling' scheme. 

Read about our library here.