English

Vision 

 

At Fairmead, we aspire for young people to confidently communicate their wants and needs within the community and to understand the world around them, whether by reading signs, following instructions, engaging with recipes, or communicating with others to build and maintain meaningful relationships. Through exposure to a wide variety of books, they develop awareness and understanding of different cultures and lifestyles, while also nurturing their imagination, creativity, and enjoyment of reading for pleasure.

 

Our vision is for young people to develop the skills they need to access and apply for job opportunities in ways that suit them, empowering them to lead fulfilling, independent, and connected lives and our curriculum - guided by the EYFS Development Matters (securing foundational learning skills) & the National Curriculum programmes of study – is designed to secure this. 

 

Practice 

 

Reading 

 

At Fairmead, reading is nurtured through purposeful activities that encourage exploration, understanding, and enjoyment of texts. The school library is a key resource, with all classes having a weekly timetabled session to explore books, and some stories also available as recorded readings by school staff to support access and enjoyment. In addition, some classes visit the local community library to further develop their engagement with books. Comprehension quizzes and related activities are available for selected texts to support young people in developing their understanding of what they have read.

 

All classes have a dedicated daily reading time, and primary classes also take part in a daily story time where an adult reads aloud to their class. Young people are listened to read frequently on a 1:1 basis to support the development of individual reading skills. High-frequency words are taught explicitly as part of reading development, and English leads organise a range of reading for pleasure events to promote a positive reading culture across the school. 

 

Writing 

 

Writing is taught through an adapted Talk4Writing approach that has been carefully modified to meet the needs of the young people at Fairmead. Adaptations include an additional stage within the process, a slower teaching pace and adjusted end-of-unit outcomes to ensure accessibility and meaningful writing opportunities. The approach enables young people to immerse themselves in stories and texts, promoting engagement while providing a consistent structure for planning and writing.

 

Young people are provided with scaffolded planning templates suitable to their need and ability. Where possible, writing is linked to real-life contexts, including community experiences, helping young people see writing as purposeful and meaningful. Grammar is taught within the context of Talk4Writing, and young people are exposed to a range of text types, such as fiction, recounts and diary entries. Staff model each stage of the writing process, and young people are given regular opportunities to retell, rehearse and edit their work to develop confidence and independence as writers.  

 

An adapted version of Colourful Semantics is used to support communication and sentence structure, with Widgit visuals used across lessons and displayed throughout the school to reinforce the colour-coding system and support consistency. In the earliest stages, young people use Colourful Semantics communication boards linked to their Talk4Writing story to support retelling and comprehension. When writing, Colourful Semantics boards and visuals support the structure of sentence writing. 

 

Transcription is taught with a focus on legibility, alongside assistive technology skills such as speech-to-text and typing, to promote accessibility and independence. At the earliest stages, young people have access to mark-making opportunities and fine and gross motor activities to develop the strength required for writing and typing.  

 

Phonics 

 

At Fairmead, we follow the SoundsWrite phonics approach, which is structured into units that teach individual sounds alongside the key skills of blending and segmenting. In the early stages, teachers supplement Sounds-Write with adapted lesson structures provided by English leads to maintain the core principles and support a smooth transition into more formal SoundsWrite teaching; activities may include a sound bag with adult modelling or Attention Autism sessions focused on specific sounds.

 

Young people also develop environmental sound awareness through a variety of strategies, such as using instruments and exploring indoor and outdoor noises. Fairmead’s SoundsWrite resources have been designed to be simple, reducing cognitive load and visual distractions, and are consistent across the school. Phonics interventions are also in place for some secondary-age young people to support ongoing progress. 

 

Throughout all English lessons, relevant SALT, OT plans and EHCP targets are embedded within the planning of daily lessons and activities. In addition, English Leads provide training for new teachers on Talk4Writing, Colourful Semantics and Sounds-Write within their first half term at Fairmead, and regularly share updated guidance to support and further develop teachers’ practice. 

 

The difference English makes

 

By the end of key stage 4 - as a result of our approach - young people achieve qualifications suited to their individual needs and abilities. They are able to communicate their wants and needs confidently within the community, including in workplace settings, using functional methods such as AAC devices where appropriate.

 

Young people read for pleasure, developing their imagination and the ability to express themselves in a variety of ways. They also develop legible handwriting or an alternative form of written communication, enabling them to share their ideas effectively and independently. They grow as confident, independent young people who flourish in both learning and life, equipped with the skills to shape their own futures.