English Statement

At Robert Kett Primary School, we follow the CUSP English reading, writing, and spelling curriculum.

​As the ability to read and write permeates all our curriculum subjects, in line with our vision statement, we aim to empower children through their daily English lessons.

​Both reading and writing lessons are underpinned by explicit vocabulary instruction. This vocabulary is referenced across all of the Robert Kett curriculum; we want to encourage our children to make links with all curriculum subjects so that they can build a schema on which to build knowledge.

The reading curriculum is underpinned by a reading spine which brings together a diverse selection of texts. From EYFS to year 6, children are exposed daily to high-quality texts, which we hope will open them up to the wider world. Phonics and fluency are taught alongside comprehension throughout the week, with fluency being explicitly taught.

​The writing curriculum is delivered in two blocks: Block A and Block B. In Block A, pupils will meet key concepts for the first time. In Block B, pupils revisit these concepts and build on prior knowledge. Each block has two parts. In the first part of the block, pupils are taught key concepts at sentence-level, and then they will master these through short writing tasks. In the second part of the block, pupils apply this knowledge to an extended outcome.

​Success is measured in many ways at Robert Kett. In writing, children’s work will be evaluated against identified ‘ingredients of success’ and then through ‘key indicators’ which will assess how well children are keeping up with the intended curriculum.

​All of our English lessons are taught using a six-part structure:

• Connect
• Explain
• Example
• Attempt
• Apply
• Challenge

Knowledge notes are used to help children navigate lessons and are used as a reference in future lessons.

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We encourage all our children to partake in English lessons, so that they can listen to and be exposed to some of the best that fiction and non-fiction authors have to offer. To support our children, we use a reading and writing support toolkit to help provide access for all.

Key Writing Indicators

At Robert Kett, in KS1 and KS2, we use writing indicator sheets to ensure progression of skills in English writing.  These outline the English objectives taught in each year group. Teachers use these sheets to assess what children are able to do within their writing – and to ensure that their teaching assessments are robust and accurate.

Please click on the tile to see each tick-sheet:

Handwriting:

At Robert Kett Primary School, we use the Kinetic Letters handwriting scheme, an evidence-informed programme designed to make handwriting a valuable, automatic tool rather than a hindrance to learning. By developing automaticity, children free up their working memory to focus on the creativity and content of their writing.

The Four Threads of Kinetic Letters
The programme is built around four key “threads” that ensure children are developmentally ready for fluent writing:

* Making Bodies Stronger (Red Thread): Handwriting is a physical activity. Children perform daily exercises (like the “strong lizard” position on their tummies) to build the core body and arm strength needed for precise finger control.
* Holding the Pencil (Green Thread): We teach the “three friends hold” to ensure an efficient and comfortable grip. Using pens and pencils with a triangular cross-section often helps pupils maintain this optimal hold for extended writing periods.
* Learning the Letters (Yellow Thread): Letters are taught as movements rather than just visual shapes. We use a “move it, say it, write it” routine, starting with whole-body movements before progressing to writing in sand, on whiteboards, and finally on paper.

* Flow and Fluency (Blue Thread): Once letter formation is mastered, children learn to join letters with a rhythmic flow to increase speed and stamina.

The Monkey Families:
Instead of learning the alphabet in order, letters are grouped into “families” based on how they are formed. We use the story of two monkeys – Bounce, the brave monkey, and Skip, the scared monkey, who live in a tree:
* Bounce starts from the high branch (ascenders like h, b, d)
* Skip starts from the lower branch (letters like r, n, m, p)

Main Letter Families include:
* Jumper Family: Letters that jump down from branches (e.g., h, b, r, n, m, p)
* Abracadabra Family: Letters that start with a ‘c’ shape (e.g., c, a, o, d, g, q, s)
* Fisher Family: Letters with a hook that goes below the line into the ‘pit’ (e.g., y, j, f, g)
* Slider Family: Letters with diagonal strokes (e.g., k, v, w, x, z)

How Parents Can Help at Home:
* Encourage Core Strength: Activities like climbing, crawling, or even lying on the floor to read help build the physical strength needed for writing.
* Check the “Three Friends”: Prompt your child to use the correct pencil grip whenever they are drawing or writing at home.

Ask your child about ‘Bounce’ and ‘Skip’ or their ‘letter families’ to reinforce the vocabulary we use in class.

Spelling:

At Robert Kett, we are committed to ensuring every child becomes a confident, accurate, and
fluent speller. To achieve this, we use the CUSP Spelling curriculum from year 1 through to year 6.

What is CUSP Spelling?
CUSP Spelling is an ‘unapologetically ambitious’ curriculum built on the latest research
in cognitive science. It moves away from traditional rote memorisation and instead focuses on helping children understand why words are spelled the way they are.
The approach is evidence-led, focusing on three core pillars:
* Etymology: Exploring the history and origin of words.
* Morphology: Understanding how words are built using root words, prefixes, and suffixes.
* Orthography: Learning the specific patterns and rules of the English spelling system.

How We Teach Spelling:
Spelling is taught through a clear, systematic sequence that builds year-on-year:
* Structured lessons: children participate in three 15-minute spelling sessions per week.
* Two-week blocks: Learning is organised into two-week blocks, each focusing on a specific
spelling concept or pattern.

Spaced Retrieval: We use retrieval practice to regularly revisit previously taught words and rules, ensuring they are moved into the long-term memory.

Progression Across Year Groups:
* Early Years: Spelling begins with a strong foundation in our Sounds Write phonics lessons.
* KS1: Year 1, children transition to CUSP Spelling in the summer term to build on their
phonological awareness.

* Key Stage 2: Pupils deepen their understanding by exploring more complex morphological
patterns and the connections between word meanings and their spellings.

How Can You Help at Home?
You can support your child’s spelling journey by:
Exploring Word Meanings: Discuss the meaning of new words together. Spelling and word meaning are ‘intrinsically linked’.
Spotting Patterns: Look for prefixes (like un- or dis-) and suffixes (like -ment or -ful) in the books you read together.