Doddinghurst Infant School

English

Vision

At Doddinghurst Infant School we believe that a strong foundation in English is the key to unlocking every child’s potential. Our vision is to inspire a love of language and literacy, equipping children with the confidence and skills to communicate effectively in all aspects of life.

Through engaging and purposeful teaching, we ensure that every child develops the core knowledge and skills in:

• Speaking and Listening – Encouraging articulate, thoughtful communication and active listening to foster confidence and social understanding.

• Reading and Phonics – Providing a systematic, structured approach to phonics to build fluent, enthusiastic readers who develop a lifelong love of books.

• Writing – Nurturing creativity, accuracy, and stamina in writing, enabling children to express their thoughts, ideas, and imagination with increasing independence.

We create a language-rich environment where children experience the joy of storytelling, the power of words, and the excitement of discovery. Our approach ensures that every child, regardless of their starting point, feels valued, empowered, and ready to embrace their learning journey with enthusiasm and success.

Implementation

At Doddinghurst Infant School we implement our English curriculum with a clear, structured approach that ensures every child develops essential literacy skills while fostering a love of language and learning. Our phonics teaching follows the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, providing a systematic and consistent approach to early reading. We follow the National Curriculum for reading and writing, ensuring progression and high expectations for all. Our teaching is inclusive and adaptive, recognising that every child learns differently; we provide targeted support and challenge to enable all children to succeed. We carefully select rich and inspiring texts that not only develop key reading and writing skills but also spark curiosity, imagination, and a lifelong passion for books. These high-quality stories, poems, and non-fiction books reflect diverse voices and experiences, helping every child to see themselves in literature and develop a deep appreciation of the written and spoken word. Through engaging lessons, creative opportunities, and a strong focus on language development, we empower our children to become confident communicators, enthusiastic readers, and expressive writers.

Our approach is also deeply rooted using our core values:

English Progression Document