At Thomas’s Academy, we believe that language lies at the heart of learning. Through a rich and balanced English curriculum, we aim to develop confident communicators, thoughtful readers and creative, independent writers. We plan with our school values and learning attitudes in mind, ensuring that all pupils are equipped with the skills they need to succeed.

Spoken Language

We recognise that talk underpins all learning in English. Through structured discussions, drama, role play, debates and collaborative work, children are given opportunities to explore ideas and express themselves clearly. Spoken language is a vital tool for developing thinking, deepening understanding and building confidence. It is the foundation on which reading and writing are built.

Writing

Our writing curriculum develops creativity, precision and purpose. Each half term, every class studies a high-quality, inclusive and diverse core text that forms the foundation for their writing. These texts cover a range of genres including fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

We draw on elements of the Talk for Writing approach, enabling children to learn through speaking, internalising story structures and language patterns before crafting their own texts. Children are supported through shared and modelled writing before being encouraged to apply their skills and knowledge independently.

For handwriting, we use the Nelson Handwriting whole-school programme, designed to help all children develop a confident, legible and personal handwriting style, and meet higher curriculum expectations. Aligned with the Department for Education's 2025 Writing Framework, Nelson Handwriting supports the development of transcription skills from age 4 onwards, helping pupils build fluency and confidence in writing.

In the Early Years, as children are introduced to graphemes in phonics, they are taught the correct letter formation using Read Write Inc phrases for support. 

Spelling

In Early Years and Year 1, children are taught early spelling during their phonics lessons. From Years 2 to 6, we use the Ready, Steady, Spell programme and resources. This systematic evidence-based programme is designed to build confident, accurate spellers and supports all learners, including EAL learners and SEND children. 

Reading

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum. Each half term, every class explores a carefully chosen core text – separate from their writing text, which offers opportunities for developing reading skills and deepening a love of literature. These texts reflect a wide range of voices, cultures and perspectives.

At our school, we teach reading through the key skill areas of Author’s Choice of words/ phrases, Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval and Summarising (AVIPERS). These help our children grow into confident, fluent and thoughtful readers who can talk about and understand what they read.

In our daily lessons there is a strong focus on reading fluently, as well as finding information in the text and working out what the author is suggesting or implying. The other skill areas are explored regularly too, giving pupils a broad and balanced reading experience.

We provide extra support for children who need it, while encouraging all pupils to develop independence and apply their skills on their own as their confidence increases.

Every child takes a reading book home each day and families are asked to keep a record of their reading. Our Thomas’s Academy Reading Award celebrates children who make a special effort or reach important milestones, such as reading a certain number of chapter books. We also love inviting authors into school to inspire everyone and share in the joy of reading together.