English at Nightingale

We view writing as a multi-step process, enabling pupils to refine their skills at every stage:

• Planning – Setting goals and generating ideas before beginning a piece of writing.

• Drafting – Focusing on capturing key ideas.

• Sharing – Encouraging pupils to share their work and receive feedback throughout the process.

• Evaluating – Ensuring that writing goals are being met through regular reflection.

• Revising – Making content improvements based on feedback and self-evaluation.

• Editing – Ensuring the text is accurate and coherent.

• Publishing – Presenting polished work for others to read.

Whole Class Instruction

Our daily reading sessions incorporate metacognitive strategies that enhance comprehension and engagement. Pupils develop an understanding of key reading domains by exploring:

• What the reading domain is,

• How it is applied,

• Why and when it is used.

Through Guided Oral Reading, teachers model fluent reading, while pupils practice and receive constructive feedback. Repeated Reading strategies allow pupils to re-read passages until they achieve fluency, ensuring mastery of complex texts.

Building vocabulary is essential for reading comprehension and application in new contexts. We focus on:

• Teaching 3-5 key Tier Two words weekly.

• Using Dual Coding to reinforce connections between words and images.

• Exploring synonyms, antonyms, and sentence structures through interactive activities such as chanting and cloze tasks.

Class Instruction

We enhance sentence construction through activities like sentence combining, helping pupils develop more complex, multi-clause sentences. Our approach includes:

• Explicit instruction focusing on grammar and sentence mastery.

• Modelling – "I do it"

• Guided Practice – "We do it"

• Check Understanding – "You do it"

By embedding grammar within writing tasks, we aim to improve both composition skills and overall content understanding.

Repeated Reading

An instructional strategy in which pupils read the same text multiple times increases fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary retention. This method also boosts confidence and self-esteem as pupils grow more adept at transferring their learning across texts.

Close Reading

A systematic approach to breaking down complex passages, asking text-dependent questions, and encouraging mastery through writing. Both repeated and close reading form the foundation of our reading instruction at Nightingale.

Fluency is key to reading success. We use Repeated Reading techniques to ensure pupils develop automaticity—reading quickly and accurately. This leads to improved comprehension and a smoother transition between texts.

Our phonics programme, Nightingale Letters and Sounds, ensures all pupils progress from decoding words to reading fluently. Paired with decodable Big Cat Books, this provides a secure foundation for every child’s reading journey.

This computer-based programme helps us monitor pupils' reading progress and guide them to books appropriate for their individual reading levels. Through daily reading and regular quizzes, children develop both pleasure in reading and comprehension skills.

myON is a personalised digital library offering unlimited access to books tailored to each pupil's reading ability. This platform works in harmony with Star Reading and Accelerated Reader, enhancing literacy development both in school and at home.

The Read Naturally Strategy integrates teacher modelling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring to improve fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Using high-interest materials at individual skill levels, pupils track their progress and receive personalised instruction.

We use the Fischer Family Trust (FFT) Wave 3 programme as an early intervention for Year 1 pupils who face challenges in learning to read and write. Based on the principles of Reading Recovery, this programme helps pupils who require extra support but do not need full Reading Recovery intervention.

Our Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme targets vocabulary, listening skills, and phonological awareness in pupils aged 4-5. Delivered by trained teaching assistants, this 20-week programme is proven to help children overcome language difficulties.

To learn more about how we assess pupil progress and implement teaching strategies in reading, writing, phonics, and language development, click below to explore our gradual release model and suggested teaching sequences.

Gradual release model and suggested teaching sequences

At Nightingale, we know that children need to say it before they can write it.

Oral rehearsal is central to our approach to English. Pupils are given regular opportunities to practise sentences aloud, rehearse ideas with a partner and refine their language before committing their writing to paper.

This supports pupils to organise their thoughts, develop vocabulary and build confidence with sentence structure.

Oral rehearsal is especially important for pupils who are developing confidence with spoken language, pupils with English as an additional language and pupils who may have strong ideas but find the written process challenging.

Teachers model high-quality spoken sentences and support pupils to improve them through questioning, recasting, partner talk and shared rehearsal.

Pupils are encouraged to listen to how a sentence sounds, improve it orally and then write it with greater confidence.

This helps children:

• build vocabulary;

• improve sentence accuracy;

• organise their thinking;

• reduce cognitive load;

• speak with confidence;

• write with greater clarity and control.

Oral rehearsal is not an additional activity at Nightingale. It is part of the writing process.

At Nightingale, DRDR is a writing approach.

DRDR stands for:

Discuss
Rehearse
Draft
Redraft

The approach supports pupils to develop writing sentence by sentence. Rather than expecting children to hold a whole paragraph or extended piece in their working memory, pupils are guided to focus carefully on one sentence at a time.

This reduces issues linked to executive function, working memory and cognitive overload.

Through DRDR, pupils discuss the idea first, rehearse the sentence orally, draft it, then redraft it until they own the sentence.

This means pupils are not simply copying or filling space. They are learning how to think like writers, shape language and improve their own work.

A typical DRDR sequence might include:

Discuss
Pupils talk through the idea, purpose, vocabulary and meaning of the sentence.

Rehearse
Pupils say the sentence aloud, often more than once, improving it before writing.

Draft
Pupils write the sentence, focusing on accuracy, meaning and structure.

Redraft
Pupils improve the sentence by refining vocabulary, grammar, punctuation or impact.

This process is repeated sentence by sentence.

As pupils become more familiar with the routine, they build stamina and independence. They move from owning one sentence, to writing several connected sentences, and then to producing more extended pieces with greater control.

DRDR supports pupils to:

• write with confidence;

• reduce the pressure of holding too much information at once;

• develop stronger sentence control;

• rehearse vocabulary before writing;

• improve accuracy;

• understand how redrafting improves quality;

• build independence over time.

At Nightingale, DRDR is particularly powerful because it gives all pupils a clear route into writing. It helps children who may struggle to begin, pupils who need language rehearsal and pupils who benefit from a structured routine.

In Key Stage 1, Talk for Writing plays an important role in helping children become confident early writers.

Children learn stories and text structures orally before they are expected to write independently.

This helps them internalise the rhythm, vocabulary and structure of different types of writing.

Through imitation, innovation and independent application, pupils learn how stories and sentences work.

They use actions, story maps, repeated phrases and oral rehearsal to help them remember and retell texts.

This gives children a strong foundation for writing because they have already practised the language, sequence and structure aloud.

Talk for Writing supports pupils to:

• develop confidence as storytellers;

• use richer vocabulary;

• understand story structure;

• rehearse sentences before writing;

• move from spoken language into written composition.

As pupils become more confident, they are supported to change, adapt and create their own texts.

We view writing as a carefully taught, multi-step process.

Pupils are supported to develop their ideas, improve their accuracy and write for a range of audiences and purposes.

Our writing process includes:

Activating prior knowledge
Pupils revisit what they already know about the text type, vocabulary, grammar, content or core text before beginning new learning.

Explicit strategy instruction
Teachers clearly explain the writing strategy, sentence structure or composition skill being taught.

Modelling of learned strategy
Teachers model how to apply the strategy, making their thinking visible as they write.

Memorisation of strategy
Pupils practise key vocabulary, sentence stems, modelled phrases and structures so they can use them with increasing independence.

Oral rehearsal
Pupils say their ideas aloud, practise sentences and refine their language before writing.

Guided practice
Pupils practise with adult support through shared writing, partner work, sentence-level practice and feedback.

Independent practice
Pupils apply what they have learned in their own writing.

Structured reflection
Pupils review their writing, consider the impact on the reader and identify how it could be improved.

This process helps pupils understand that writing is not simply about getting ideas onto a page.

It is about thinking, talking, rehearsing, drafting, improving and publishing.

Our writing process includes:

Planning
Generating ideas, identifying the purpose of writing and setting clear goals.

Oral rehearsal
Saying sentences aloud, practising vocabulary and refining ideas before writing.

Drafting
Capturing key ideas and developing content.

Sharing
Reading work aloud and receiving feedback from adults and peers.

Evaluating
Reflecting on whether writing goals have been met.

Revising and redrafting
Improving content, structure, vocabulary, sentence control and impact.

Editing
Checking accuracy, grammar, punctuation, spelling and coherence.

Publishing
Presenting polished pieces of writing for others to read.

Teachers explicitly model writing so that pupils can see the thinking behind successful composition.

Grammar and sentence instruction are embedded within meaningful writing tasks so that pupils learn how to apply their skills in context.

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum.

We want every child to become a fluent, confident and thoughtful reader who enjoys books and can access the wider curriculum.

Our daily reading sessions help pupils develop fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Children are taught to understand the key reading domains by exploring:

• what each reading skill means;

• how it is used;

• why it matters;

• when to apply it.

Teachers use guided oral reading, repeated reading and close reading to help pupils engage deeply with texts.

Adults model fluent reading, expression and phrasing, while pupils practise reading aloud and receive feedback.

Re-reading carefully chosen passages helps children build accuracy, automaticity, confidence and understanding.

Vocabulary development is central to reading and writing success.

We explicitly teach important words and give pupils repeated opportunities to use them in speech and writing.

Our vocabulary teaching includes:

• direct teaching of key Tier Two words;

• exploring word meanings in context;

• using dual coding to link words and images;

• investigating synonyms, antonyms and word families;

• practising new vocabulary through discussion, sentence work, chanting, cloze tasks and writing.

By building vocabulary over time, pupils become better equipped to understand challenging texts and express themselves with precision.

Strong sentences are the foundation of strong writing.

Pupils are taught how to construct, combine and improve sentences so that they can write with increasing control and sophistication.

Our approach includes:

Explicit teaching
Grammar and sentence structures are taught clearly and directly.

Modelling
Teachers show pupils what successful writing looks and sounds like.

Oral rehearsal
Pupils practise sentences aloud before writing them.

Guided practice
Pupils practise with adult support before working independently.

Independent application
Children apply new sentence structures in their own writing.

Sentence combining
Pupils learn to create more detailed, varied and sophisticated sentences.

Redrafting
Pupils improve sentences by refining vocabulary, accuracy, structure and impact.

This approach helps children understand how grammar choices shape meaning and impact.

Repeated Reading

Repeated reading is a key strategy at Nightingale.

Pupils read the same text or passage more than once to develop fluency, accuracy, expression and comprehension.

This supports vocabulary retention and helps children become more confident readers.

Close Reading

Close reading helps pupils break down complex passages and think carefully about meaning.

Teachers ask text-dependent questions and encourage children to refer back to the text when explaining their answers.

This supports deeper understanding and high-quality responses.

Fluency

Fluency is essential for reading success.

Pupils need to read accurately, at an appropriate pace and with expression so that they can focus on meaning.

We use guided oral reading, repeated reading and fluency practice to help pupils become more automatic and confident readers.

Discussion

Discussion is central to English at Nightingale.

Pupils are taught to explain their thinking, listen to others, challenge ideas respectfully and build on what has already been said.

In reading, discussion helps pupils explore meaning and develop comprehension.

In writing, discussion helps pupils prepare, rehearse and improve their sentences before drafting.

Early reading is a priority at Nightingale.

Our phonics programme ensures that pupils move from decoding words to reading fluently and confidently.

Children are taught phonics systematically and are given books that match their current phonic knowledge, allowing them to practise successfully and build confidence.

Decodable books, regular practice and targeted support ensure that pupils develop secure foundations in reading.

Children who need additional help are quickly identified and supported through carefully planned intervention.

We use digital platforms to support reading progress, engagement and independence.

Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader helps us monitor pupils’ reading progress and guide them towards books that are well matched to their reading level.

Through daily reading and regular quizzes, pupils develop comprehension skills, reading stamina and a love of books.

myON

myON provides pupils with access to a personalised digital library.

Children can read books matched to their interests and reading ability, both in school and at home.

myON works alongside Star Reading and Accelerated Reader to support wider reading and independent choice.

Reading Plus

Reading Plus is used to support pupils’ fluency, comprehension, vocabulary and reading stamina.

The platform gives children personalised reading practice and helps teachers identify strengths and areas for development.

It supports pupils to become more independent readers by improving their ability to read with accuracy, pace and understanding.

Reading Plus also helps pupils develop the stamina needed to read longer and more complex texts successfully.

Teachers use the information from Reading Plus to identify patterns, target support and celebrate progress.

Targeted Reading Support

Some pupils benefit from additional support to help them make accelerated progress.

At Nightingale, we use carefully chosen interventions to meet pupils’ needs.

Read Live Repeated Reading

Read Live uses the Read Naturally Strategy, combining teacher modelling, repeated reading and progress monitoring.

Pupils work with high-interest texts at an appropriate level and track their own progress, building confidence, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Fischer Family Trust Reading Intervention

We use the Fischer Family Trust Wave 3 programme to support pupils who require additional help with early reading and writing.

Based on the principles of Reading Recovery, this intervention supports children to develop key reading behaviours, confidence and independence.

Nuffield Early Language Intervention

The Nuffield Early Language Intervention supports children with vocabulary, listening, narrative and phonological awareness.

Delivered by trained adults, it helps pupils strengthen the language skills needed for successful reading, writing and communication.

Our aim is for every child at Nightingale to leave primary school as a confident speaker, fluent reader and effective writer.

Through high-quality texts, structured talk, oral rehearsal, DRDR, Talk for Writing, explicit teaching, digital support and targeted intervention, we ensure that pupils develop the literacy skills they need for secondary school and beyond.

To learn more about how we assess pupil progress and implement teaching strategies in reading, writing, phonics and language development, please follow this link to explore our gradual release approach.