English

Sherlock Holmes - Mixed outcomes

The Giant's Necklace by Michael Morpurgo

The Windrush - Diary writing

Holes by Louis Sachar

Spiderman - Journalistic writing

The Blitz Survivor Stories

The Golden Compass - Mixed outcomes

Greenling by Levi Pinfold

Rabbit Proof Fence - Narrative writing

London is the Place for Me by Lord Kitchener

Important Scientists - Biographical writing

Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian

Pandas - Non-chronological report

A Career in Computer Games by Anthony Horowitz

Grammar Practice

In this unit, pupils learn what the subject and object of a clause are when interrogating the five sentence types: simple, compound, adverbial complex, relative complex and non-finite complex. 

In 'Five sentence types', pupils revised the first four sentence types and learnt a fifth: the non-finite complex sentence. In this unit, pupils will learn what the subject and object of a clause are when interrogating the five sentence types. 

In this unit, pupils review five sentence structures: simple, compound, adverbial complex, relative complex and non-finite complex, all with their associate comma rules in place. They learn some new subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns, as well as subject and object for the first time.

Using five sentence types

In this unit, pupils revise the previously-taught content of determiners, fronted adverbials, synonyms and antonyms as well as previous learning around parenthesis.

In 'Key grammar terminology', pupils learnt the key knowledge around determiners, fronted adverbials, synonyms and antonyms. In this unit, pupils will revise this previously-taught content as well as previous learning around parenthesis.

In this unit, pupils review previous learning about four types of determiner and fronted adverbials. They also review using brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis and how to use synonyms and antonyms effectively as well as learning about new functions of prepositions and adverbs.

Key terminology, including determiners, fronted adverbials and parenthesis

In this unit, pupils learn the difference between the active voice and the passive voice.

In 'Three tense forms and modal verbs', pupils learnt to use modality whilst maintaining the correct tense. In this unit, pupils will learn the difference between the active voice and the passive voice.

In this unit, pupils review the simple, progressive and perfect present tenses as well as modal verbs for use in persuasive writing and speech sentences. They learn the rules for the perfect past and future tenses for the first time as well as learning about the active and passive voice.

Three tense forms, modality, active voice and passive voice

In this unit, pupils learn how to use the colon and the semi-colon.

In 'Speech punctuation, parenthesis and apostrophes', pupils learnt to punctuate a speech interrupted sentence. In this unit, pupils will learn how to use the colon and the semi-colon. 

In this unit, pupils review a range of previously taught punctuation, including speech punctuation for three different types of speech sentence and apostrophes for contraction and singular and plural possession. They are also introduced to hyphens, colons, semi-colons and bullet points.

Punctuation

In this unit, pupils revise all the grammar and punctuation learnt from Year 1 - Year 6.

In 'Punctuation', pupils learnt how to use the colon and the semi-colon. In this unit, pupils will revise all the grammar and punctuation learnt from Year 1 - Year 6. 

In this unit, comprehensive review of all grammar and syntactical terminology needed for KS2 SATS tests is undertaken. Pupils review word class, the five taught sentence structures, all taught tenses, word families, Standard English and all taught punctuation, including at the higher level for GDS.

Review, including word class, sentence types, tense, commas and colons

In this unit, pupils learn  a range of spelling patterns and conventions, with a focus on homophones and suffixes. In ‘Letter strings, etymology and curriculum words'’, pupils focus on spellings of key letters strings, words of French and Greek origin and curriculum words. 

In ‘Etymology and prefixes' pupils learnt a range of spelling patterns, including a focus on prefixes. In this unit, pupils  build on this knowledge, building on a range of spelling patterns and conventions, with a focus on homophones and suffixes. 

In this unit, pupils build and review a range of spelling patterns with a focus on homonyms, homophones and a wide range of suffixes, including -ed, -ing, -er, -est, -s, -ies, -es, -ves, -le, -el, -il, -al, -cian, -tion, -sion, -ssion, -ous, -tious, -cious, -cial and -tial.

Homophones and tense

In this unit, pupils focus on spellings of key letters strings, words of French and Greek origin and curriculum words. In ‘Review and revision of all taught spelling’, pupils revise the full range of spelling content learnt across KS2. 

In ‘Homophones and tense', pupils learnt a range of spelling patterns and conventions, with a focus on homophones and suffixes. In this unit, pupils focus on spellings of key letters strings, words of French and Greek origin and curriculum words. 

In this unit, pupils review and learn a wide range of Year 6 spellings, including letter strings, words with the suffixes -ant, -ance, -ent, -ence, -able and -ible, silent letters, French and Greek origin words, curriculum words and words that use the hyphen in two ways.

Letter strings, etymology and curriculum words

In ‘Letter strings, etymology and curriculum words’, pupils focus on spellings of key letters strings, words of French and Greek origin and curriculum words. In this unit, pupils revise the full range of spelling content learnt across KS2. 

In this unit, pupils review and revise the full range of spelling content learnt across KS2, including spelling patterns linked to suffixes, sounds and etymology, in preparation for the end of KS2 testing.

Review and revision of all taught spelling

In 'Building handwriting fluency through speed, choices and writing dialogue', pupils developed their handwriting speed and use of writing implements suited to different tasks.  In this unit, pupils develop their handwriting fluency, focusing on handwriting conventions associated with particular written tasks. 

In this unit, pupils practise note-taking and choose between pen or pencil for different tasks. They write famous quotations in cursive and learn different techniques to write with emphasis. Pupils also learn which type of handwriting is most appropriate for a given task or purpose.

Building fluency with note taking, choice, quotations and emphasis

In this unit, pupils learn a range of rich vocabulary associated with emotions. In the next unit, pupils learn a range of rich vocabulary associated with settings.

In 'Action words' pupils learnt a range of rich vocabulary to describe actions. In this unit, pupils learn a range of rich vocabulary associated with emotions.

In this unit, pupils learn a wider range of vocabulary to support writing descriptively about characters, settings and scenes, including ambitious vocabulary for emotions words that can be applied to descriptive writing passages.

Emotions words

In 'Emotions words' pupils learnt a range of rich vocabulary to describe emotions. In this unit, pupils learn a range of rich vocabulary associated with settings.

In this unit, pupils learn a wider range of vocabulary to support writing descriptively about characters, settings and scenes, including ambitious vocabulary for settings that can be applied to a wide range of descriptive writing passages.

Setting words

In this unit, pupils developed reading for pleasure through exploration of a range of different text types, focusing on genre and form. Pupils were introduced to a range of authors and illustrators and considered their reader identity. In 'No Country and Frizzy: graphic novels exploring identity and belonging', pupils will explore a specific text type (graphic novels) in more detail.

In 'Developing reading preferences in Year 5', pupils developed reading for pleasure through exploration of a range of different text types, focusing on genre and form. Pupils were introduced to a range of authors and illustrators and considered their reader identity. In this unit, pupils build on this knowledge through the introduction to a range of texts suitable for Year 6.

In this unit, pupils will develop their reading preferences by exploring text adaptations. Pupils will learn about the benefits of engaging with translated texts from around the world. Finally, they will develop their awareness of different forms of reading, focusing on picture books.

Developing reading preferences in Year 6

In this unit, pupils learn how Shakespeare explores multiple key themes throughout a single play. In 'The Windrush: Diary Writing', pupils will learn to develop their skills of writing a diary with emotion based on a significant historical event.

In 'Shakespeare's Macbeth’: Narrative and Soliloquy Writing', pupils learnt about character, plot and theme in a Shakespearean play for the first time. In this unit, pupils will learn how Shakespeare explores multiple key themes throughout a single play.’

In this unit, pupils learn to empathise with and understand different characters in one of Shakespeare's iconic plays. They write a diary entry from Juliet's perspective, a climactic narrative scene based on the duel scene and begin to debate around a key question raised from the play.

Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet': diary and narrative writing

In this unit, pupils learn to use persuasive devices for letter writing with increasing nuance.

In 'Persuasive Letter Writing: School Uniform', pupils learnt to use persuasive devices in letter writing to persuade the reader of the writer's position. In this unit, pupils will learn to use persuasive devices for letter writing with increasing nuance.

In this unit, pupils learn about conventions of detective fiction via one of the English canon's most famous series 'Sherlock Holmes'. They use knowledge of the central character to write a setting description and a persuasive letter from a member of the public in need of his services.

'Sherlock Holmes': descriptive and letter writing

In 'Coming to England’ pupils read from the perspective of a young girl. In ’Poetry about migration’ pupils will study the Windrush and its impact and legacy through song lyrics, deepening their awareness and understanding of the historical context.

In ’Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story’ pupils read about a series of historical events through the fictionalised perspective of a real person. In ’Coming to England’ pupils read about the Windrush Generation and Britain post-Second-World-War through a memoir written by Floella Benjamin.

In this unit, pupils read and explore the autobiographical memoir, 'Coming To England'. They engage with the cultural and historical context of the text and explore the imagery used to depict the setting and characters. Finally, pupils engage with the key themes of migration and discrimination.

'Coming To England': reading

In this unit, pupils write a biography based on research about a scientific theory of a famous scientist. In 'Climate Emergency: Journalistic Report Writing', pupils will use a scientific, environmental speech to write a journalistic report from.

In 'Harriet Tubman: Biographical Writing', pupils learnt to research an inspirational figure's life to write a celebratory biography. In this unit, pupils will write a biography based on research about a scientific theory of a famous scientist.

In this unit, pupils research Charles Darwin's life and evolution theory in order to write a biography. The biography is written chronologically, from his early life to university, his trip to the Galapagos and his theory of evolution. Finally, pupils present information about evolution to a group.

Charles Darwin: biographical writing

In this unit, pupils recap on the features of a debate and use the PEPs structure to deliver a speech. They learn what makes an effective debate motion and design their own. Pupils then prepare for and participate in a full debate, scoring their performances and reflecting on their speech delivery.

Debating important topics

In this unit, pupils use extensive research from a range of sources as another technique to strengthen writer's credibility.

In 'Wild Cats: Non-Chronological Report', pupils were introduced to using the passive voice to maintain writer's credibility. In this unit, pupils will use extensive research from a range of sources as another technique to strengthen writer's credibility.

In this unit, pupils research pandas' appearance, physical features, diet and habitat to write a non-chronological report about them. They specifically work on including varied ways to denote parenthesis for relevant factual information.

Pandas or Antarctic animals: non-chronological report

In this unit, pupils research penguins' appearance, physical features, diet and habitat to write a non-chronological report about them. They specifically work on including varied ways to denote parenthesis for relevant factual information.

In 'Blackberry Blue: reading’, pupils read and discussed a modern traditional tale, exploring its literary influences. In ’Beowulf: narrative writing’, pupils will explore a more complex and classic traditional tale.

In 'Hansel and Gretel: reading’, pupils discussed a modern version of a traditional tale. They discussed and explored the themes of good vs. evil and analysed how the main characters had been presented. In ’Blackberry Blue: reading’, pupils will develop this understanding by reading and exploring a modern fairy tale, discussing its literary influences.

In this unit, pupils read and explore the collection of fairytales, 'Blackberry Blue'. They explore how 'Blackberry Blue' addresses and challenges stereotypes through its storytelling and characterisation. Finally, pupils identify connections in the traditional fairytale, 'Cinderella'.

'Blackberry Blue': reading

In 'Girl of Ink and Stars: book club’, pupils considered differing interpretations of the text. In ’When Stars are Scattered: book club’, pupils will continue to discuss different interpretations of the texts they read.

In 'Wonder: book club', pupils developed personal responses to a text. In ’Girl of Ink and Stars: book club’, pupils will discuss different responses to a text.

In this unit, pupils explore and discuss the novel, 'Girl of Ink and Stars'. They identify the key themes in the text, which is a blended genre of myths and magical realism. Finally, pupils discuss the characters in the text, as well as making personal connections and recommendations.

'Girl of Ink and Stars': book club

In 'Shackleton's Journey: reading’, pupils read a text set in  1914–1917. In ’When the Sky Falls; reading’, pupils will read another text set during the Second World War, 1939-1945.

In 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover: reading’, pupils read and discussed a non-fiction, picturebook narrative. In ’Shackleton's Journey: reading’, pupils will read and discuss a more complex non-fiction, picturebook narrative, based on true events.

In this unit, pupils read and explore the non-fiction picturebook text, 'Shackleton's Journey'. They explore the context of the Antarctic expedition and examine the layout features of the text. Finally, pupils answer a range of comprehension questions and engage with the key themes.

'Shackleton's Journey': reading

In this unit, pupils use a contemporary issue as the stimulus for journalistic writing, focusing on how writer's bias can shape a report.

In 'The Titanic: Journalistic Report Writing', pupils learnt to research a historical event as a stimulus for writing a journalistic report. In this unit, pupils will use a contemporary issue as the stimulus for journalistic writing, focusing on how writer's bias can shape a report.

In this unit, pupils get into role as a journalist attending a climate emergency protest, in prepartion for writing a journalistic report based on the event. In so doing, pupils practise integrating direct speech throughout their report to add credibility to the point of view they are writing from.

Climate emergency: journalistic report writing

In 'Poetry about migration’ pupils have explored perspectives of Empire Windrush passengers and the optimism they had arriving in Britain. In ’The Empire Windrush: diary writing’ pupils will build a fuller picture of the historical background and infer possible thoughts, feelings and emotions of passengers.

In 'Coming to England: reading’ pupils explored the life of Floella Benjamin, who came to Britain as a young child. Readers will have learnt about the Windrush Generation, and the prejudice that many people from the Caribbean experienced on their arrival to Britain.

In this unit, pupils read and respond to two songs by Lord Kitchener, written about his migration to the UK aboard the Empire Windrush. Pupils will explore, compare and contrast the two songs and make connections to their own lives and experiences.

Poetry about migration

In this unit, pupils learn to develop their skills of writing a diary with emotion based on a significant historical event.

In 'Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet’: Diary and Narrative Writing', pupils learnt to write a diary entry from a character's perspective with heightened emotions from a fictional context. In this unit, pupils will learn to develop their skills of writing a diary with emotion based on a significant historical event.’

In this unit, pupils use research around the Empire Windrush and an account of a fictional passenger to write a diary entry from a Windrush passenger's perspective. They use a conversational tone and informal devices, including exclamatives and verbless sentences, to meet the writing purpose.

The Empire Windrush: diary writing

In this unit, pupils will learn to base an essay on research around the Windrush Generation and their experiences of arriving and staying in Britain. In 'Polar Regions: Essay Writing', pupils will learn techniques to develop the strength of their argument throughout an essay.

In 'The Empire Windrush: Diary Writing', pupils learnt about the historical context and lived experience of Caribbean immigrants' arrival in Britain after the Second World War. In this unit, pupils will learn to base an essay on research around the Windrush Generation and their experiences of arriving and staying in Britain.

In this unit, pupils use research of the Empire Windrush to write an essay about why the Windrush Generation immigrated and what life in Britain was like for them. Pupils write formally throughout, using facts and varied sentence structures, and they follow a clear line of argument across the essay.

The Empire Windrush: essay writing

In 'Beowulf’, pupils read and discussed the tale. In ’Beowulf Narrative Writing’, they will use the book as a stimulus for writing.

In 'Blackberry Blue’, pupils read and discussed the features of a traditional tale. In ’Beowulf’, pupils develop their understanding of traditional tales by discussing and reading a classic.

In this unit, pupils read and explore a translation and adaptation of the Old English epic poem 'Beowulf', written by Kevin Crossley-Holland. They explore the language and the context of the poem and then explore and discuss the chapters sequentially, gaining strong comprehension.

'Beowulf': reading

In this unit, pupils rewrite the build-up and climax of a scene from the end of Beowulf’, focusing on interspersing dialogue to convey atmosphere and advance the action. In '’A Kind of Spark’: Narrative Writing', pupils will finesse writing a build-up and climax with a focus on switching between the past and present tense to highlight a jump in perspective.’

In ''Beowulf': Reading', pupils analysed a modernised version of ’Beowulf’. In this unit, pupils will rewrite the build-up and climax of a scene from the end of ’Beowulf’, focusing on interspersing dialogue to convey atmosphere and advance the action.’

In this unit, pupils rewrite the build-up, climax and resolution of the historical classic 'Beowulf', focusing on interspersing dialogue to convey atmosphere and advance the action. Pupils work to generate vocabulary that is appropriate for each section of the narrative.

'Beowulf': narrative writing

In ’When Stars are Scattered: book club’ pupils have explored a refugee's memoir in graphic novel form. In ’No Country and Frizzy: graphic novels exploring identity and belonging’ pupils will explore a fictional narrative set in a near-dystopian future. Themes such as politics and migration are present in both texts.

In 'El Deafo: book club’ pupils have explored authentic experiences through the graphic novel form. In ’When Stars are Scattered: book club’ a narrative with increasingly mature themes is told, exploring the refugee experience.

In this unit, pupils explore and discuss the graphic novel memoir, 'When Stars are Scattered'. They discuss Omar Mohamed's experience of living in a refugee camp in Kenya and identify the key themes in the text. Finally, pupils make personal connections and recommendations.

'When Stars are Scattered': book club

In 'A Kind of Spark’ pupils explored characterisation through the lens of a neurodiverse individual. In ’When the Sky Falls’, pupils will explore a historical setting through the perspective of a young boy.

In 'Girl of Ink and Stars’ pupils read a narrative with a strong-willed, female protagonist in a magical setting. In ’A Kind of Spark’ pupils read through the lens of a female protagonist in a contemporary, modern Scottish setting.

In this unit, pupils read and explore the novel, 'A Kind of Spark'. They gather evidence about the characters by inferring from the text and compare characters both within and between texts. Finally, pupils explore the key concepts and themes from the text.

'A Kind of Spark': reading

In this unit, pupils finesse writing a build-up and climax with a focus on switching between the past and present tense to highlight a jump in perspective. In 'When The Sky Falls’: Narrative and Diary Writing', pupils will write a narrative climax and use it as the stimulus for writing a diary entry from a character's perspective.

In 'Beowulf’, pupils rewrote the build-up and climax of a scene from the end of ’Beowulf’, focusing on interspersing dialogue to convey atmosphere and advance the action. In this unit, pupils will finesse writing a build-up and climax with a focus on switching between the past and present tense to highlight a jump in perspective.

In this unit, pupils write a build-up and climax based on the text, 'A Kind of Spark'. They learn to switch tense to highlight a jump in perspective from narrative prose to an internal monologue and from present to past tense to indicate a flashback. These outcomes can be used for KS2 SATS writing.

'A Kind of Spark': narrative writing

'When the Sky Falls' is set during The Second World War. ’No Country’ examines themes of war and political instability in a dystopian future.

In 'A Kind of Spark’, pupils have explored a narrative through the lens of a neurodiverse individual. In ’When the Sky Falls’, pupils will explore the historical setting of The Second World War through the lens of a young boy.

In this unit, pupils read and explore the novel, 'When the Sky Falls'. They discuss the historical context and explore the main characters and their motives. Finally, pupils spot comparisons and connections between the characters and explore the key concepts and themes within the text.

'When the Sky Falls': reading

In this unit, pupils write a narrative climax and use it as the stimulus for writing a diary entry from a character's perspective.

In 'A Kind of Spark’: Narrative Writing', pupils finessed writing a build-up and climax with a focus on switching between the past and present tense to highlight a jump in perspective. In this unit, pupils will write a narrative climax and use it as the stimulus for writing a diary entry from a character's perspective.

In this unit, pupils write a narrative climax and a journalistic report based on the text, 'When the Sky Falls', focusing on changing tone and style to meet each outcome's purpose. The journalistic report is based on an event in the novel. These outcomes can be used for KS2 SATS writing.

'When the Sky Falls': narrative and journalistic report writing

In this unit, pupils learn techniques to develop the strength of their argument throughout an essay. In 'Ancient Islamic Civilisation: Essay Writing', pupils will learn to further finesse the skills of persuasive and credible essay writing.

In 'The Empire Windrush: Essay Writing', pupils learnt to base an essay on research around the Windrush Generation and their experiences of arriving and staying in Britain. In this unit, pupils will learn techniques to develop the strength of their argument throughout an essay.

In this unit, pupils learn about how climate change is affecting the polar regions. They organise their knowledge into a clear essay structure with an introduction, paragraphs and a conclusion. They then write an essay that outlines how climate change is negatively impacting the polar regions.

Polar regions: essay writing

In ’Poetry of place’, pupils explored a sense of place and wrote about settings significant to them. In ’No Country and Frizzy: graphic novels exploring identity and belonging', pupils will explore how identity and belonging can be portrayed through settings and characterisation in the graphic novel form.

In 'Poetry about migration', pupils explored poetry through music lyrics describing a person's thoughts, feelings and emotions. In ’Poetry of Place’, pupils engage with a range of settings through several poets and their work.

In this unit, pupils read, respond to and perform classic and contemporary poetry about a range of settings. They explore imagery and form, whilst developing personal responses and comparing poems. Finally, pupils write their own poem about a place of significance.

Poetry of place

In this unit, pupils learn to further finesse the skills of persuasive and credible essay writing.

In 'Polar Regions: Essay Writing', pupils learnt techniques to develop the strength of their argument throughout an essay. In this unit, pupils will learn to further finesse the skills of persuasive and credible essay writing.

In this unit, pupils research the Abbasid dynasty of early Islamic civilisation and why it is referred to by historians as a 'Golden Age'. They organise their knowledge into a clear essay structure with an introduction, paragraphs and a conclusion. They then write an essay that aims to inform.

Early Islamic civilisation: essay writing

In 'No Country and Frizzy: graphic novels exploring identity and belonging' pupils have explored themes through the graphic novel form. In 'Cloud Busting: book club', pupils will consider how reading a narrative in verse can convey themes and characterisation.

Pupils will have been exposed to some of the codes and conventions in graphic novels in 'When Stars are Scattered: book club'. In this unit, we will explore the form in greater detail, ensuring pupils gain an understanding of key features and more complex terminology. Pupils will explore how both image and text can create meaning on their own, together or in contrast to one another.

In this unit, pupils read and explore two fictional graphic novel texts, 'No Country' and 'Frizzy'. They discuss the context of both graphic novels. Finally, pupils explore the visual, narrative and contextual elements of specific scenes and discuss the key themes within each text.

'No Country' and 'Frizzy': graphic novels exploring identity and belonging

In 'Wonder: book club’, pupils read a text that discussed themes of acceptance and friendship. In ’Cloud Busting: book club’ pupils will read and explore a verse novel that discusses similar themes and also presents different character's perspectives of an event. 

In this unit, pupils explore and discuss the verse novel, 'Cloud Busting'. They will identify the features of verse novels and the range of poetic forms used by the author. Finally, pupils will discuss the characters in the text and develop a personal response.

'Cloud Busting': book club

In this unit, pupils practise speaking and listening skills to turn take, agree and disagree respectfully and share opinions about the transition of leaving primary school to go to secondary school. Pupils develop their ability to listen without judgement to their peers' opinions and feelings.

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