Growing In Faith and Learning
Grammar is the foundation for communication.
We want our children to have a deep understanding of how our language works, enabling them to have greater control over their writing by choosing words and sentence structures. Handwriting, spelling and grammar are taught both explicitly and in context to ensure that children are able to understand the conventions of writing and manipulate language to create effects for the reader. We want pupils to acquire a wide vocabulary, a solid understanding of grammar and be able to spell new words by effectively applying the spelling patterns and rules they learn throughout their time in primary school.
Grammar and punctuation is taught explicitly at our school. The children have separate lessons for this to ensure that they have the knowledge and necessary skills to apply their learning into their independent work. While it is taught separately in the first instance, our teachers are regularly asking the children to apply and therefore consolidate their learning into their daily written work.
Coverage of what the children will be taught each year is outlined in our 'Grammar and Punctuation Progression Grids', which you can find at the bottom of this page.
At St. Leonard's we teach spelling in Reception and Year 1 using our phonics programme, Little Wandle. Further information can be found on this on the phonics page.
When in Year 2, the children move onto the Little Wandle Spelling Programme for Year 2, which consolidates the phonics programme and builds knowledge and understanding in order to spell words containing the patterns for their year group.
In KS2, we use 'Pathways to Spell' which is a programme designed to teach the children to spell by enabling them to have a secure understanding of words: the morphology, etymology, orthography and phonology behind each word. The programme is structured so that children are regularly reviewing previous learning and building upon it.
We assess the children's knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling every term. The teachers analyse the children's responses and provide help and intervention should the children need it.