At St. Sebastian’s, we recognise that without effective communication, little achievement can be made. ‘Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing.’ (National Curriculum in England, DfE, 2014)

Implementation

The majority of children attending EYFS enter with skills that are below or well below age-related expectations in the prime area of Communication & Language. Early intervention in this prime area is the main focus in purposeful planning, delivered by highly skilled practitioners. The importance of providing time and space for children to talk, listen and understand is therefore paramount. As children leave the EYFS and progress through the school, this essential skill is nurtured and developed with each individual child and their needs in mind.

Spoken language is developed by:

• Providing a wide range of opportunities for children to talk and listen across the whole curriculum
• Frequent storytelling sessions, when the teacher or other adult reads aloud with the class
• The use of drama and role play
• Reciting poetry by heart
• Group and talk partner work
• P4C sessions – encourage pupils to put across their views coherently and listen and respond to the views of others respectfully.
• Assemblies and school plays
• Encouraging the correct use of standard English (staff and children)
• Providing a vocabulary-rich curriculum, so children will feel confident in their vocabulary choices

Impact

We believe our children will:

• Understand the importance of effective communication.
• Acquire a talent for listening attentively so as to understand what is being said.
• Develop and use a rich and varied vocabulary that gives clarity and interest to conversations.
• Speak clearly with correct standard English so they can be easily understood.
• Show respect for others when communicating, even when views differ.
• Grow in confidence throughout their primary school lives so they can perform to an audience.
• Make significant progress from entry into EYFS to leaving our school in Year 6.
• Use their speaking and listening skills to achieve in all areas of the curriculum