Curriculum Area Intent
All pupils are readers, writers and communicators.
Pupils gain the necessary functional skills to be successful and confident communicators, readers and writers at a developmentally appropriate level. This provides them with the best opportunities to be valued and active members of society now and in the future. Teaching is engaging and pupil-centred, offering experiential learning in order to foster independent enquiry and curiosity. Communication and Literacy is a key life skill that enables pupils to engage with and access the world around them in a safe and meaningful way. All pupils are unique and have different ways of communicating. We use a Total Communication approach to ensure that every child’s voice is heard; we ensure they develop the appropriate skills to use it safely and effectively.
Reading is a crucial life skill and embedded across the curriculum; we foster a love of reading. Pupils journey towards meaningful and functional marks as well as accessing spelling, punctuation and grammar sessions where appropriate. They use the written form as well as technology to support successful outcomes.
At Silverwood, we value the importance of Communication and Literacy in pupils’ journeys to adulthood, and appreciate how vital it is to be a confident communicator. This is achieved through a Total Communication approach, which creates highly individualised opportunities for pupils to develop the skills and confidence needed to share their voices throughout their lives. Diversity and pupil identity is recognised through an immersive and multi-sensory approach to reading, mark making and writing. Our ambitious expectations challenge all pupils through curiosity and experimentation to develop and to extend their skills across the curriculum. We are passionate about developing a love of books and reading. We want our pupils to experience the magic of shared stories and immersive reading opportunities. Pupils are inspired to develop relationships, and to make connections with the wider world through their experience of a broad scope of diverse and ambitious texts that range across genres and times. The aim of Communication and Literacy is to create a language rich environment which places no limits on learning.
At Silverwood School, we aim for all pupils to develop a love of stories, books and reading. Books are an integral part of our curriculum and our classroom environment. We see all of our pupils as readers and we ensure that phonics and spelling is taught across all Key Stages.
What is Phonics?
Phonics is a way of teaching pupils how to read and write. It helps pupils to hear, identify and use different sounds that distinguish one word from another. Written language can be compared to a code, so knowing the sounds of individual letters and how those letters sound when they are combined will help pupils to decode words as they read. Understanding Phonics will also help pupils know which letters to use when they are writing words. Learning this skill is often the beginning of a pupil’s journey to learning to read.
In addition to Phonics lessons, all students across the school have access to:
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In addition to Phonics lessons, all students across the school have access to:
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Additional Twinkl Phonics resources following the Twinkl Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP).
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Reading schemes aligned to our chosen SSP mapped across the curriculum pathways.
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Daily shared reading
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A library space and classroom reading areas
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Experience of high quality, age appropriate texts.
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Free access to a wide range reading material for pleasure.
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Opportunities to access further targeted interventions.
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IT devices that augment communication and support reading.
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Parents supported to share books and to read with their children at home and to record their progress in a reading record.
Measuring Impact
Each pupil will be baseline assessed and their phonic knowledge will be assessed and monitored termly. This data will be used to inform provision. Groupings are flexible and pupils are able to move between groups to allow for timely challenge and support.
At Silverwood, we recognise that assessment data will demonstrate the progression of pupils’ reading and spelling skills. The impact of our Phonics provision will also be demonstrated by pupil’s engagement with stories, their enthusiasm for sharing books and their growing independence in engaging with texts at home and school.
Phonics and Reading (SIZE AS ABOVE)
All pupils at Silverwood School will access either Phonics or Guided Reading sessions as part of the literacy curriculum.
Reading Comprehension (SIZE AS ABOVE)
At Silverwood School we use the VIPERS framework as a key element of our literacy curriculum. VIPERS is an acronym to aid the recall of the six key areas which we feel pupils need to know and understand in order to improve their comprehension of texts.
100 Books to Read Before You Leave Silverwood (SIZE AS ABOVE)
We have 100 fiction books that we recommend all our pupils experience/ read before they leave us. These are books voted for and compiled by The Times Educational Supplement and the National Association for the Teaching of English. The books are suitable for children of all ages and include old and new, classics and recently published stories.
At Silverwood School, we provide an ambitious Computing curriculum which is designed to motivate, engage and enthuse students, whatever their path through school. Students will be able to utilise technology in a positive way to benefit their everyday lives. Students will learn to recognise technology around them and the significant role it will play.
Students will learn how to access devices, which may be connected to the internet, safely and responsibly. They will learn to utilise and experience assistive technology effectively, with appropriate support where required to support their diverse needs. This knowledge will provide students the opportunity to interact with their world, communicate effectively using a variety of media and be as independent as possible throughout their school life and beyond.
They will learn how to access the internet and utilise the information it contains whilst keeping safe and protecting themselves. Students will also learn how computers work and that they are made up of hardware and software. They will learn how to access common software packages and how to utilise its functions and features. Students will also study programming which will help develop skills like planning, sequencing, decomposition (breaking down a problem into manageable parts) and troubleshooting. Finally, students will be exposed to a variety of technologies that are fun, engaging and that broaden their understanding of what is possible through the use of technology.
