--- title: "English" url: "https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/english-curriculum" school: "St. Joseph's Catholic Primary" --- # English At St. Joseph’s, we use the **Primary Literacy Programme** approach to Reading and Writing, which itself is based around **Talk for Writing.** It is grounded in the processes of shared writing with a strong and systematic focus on securing the basics of handwriting, phonics/spelling and grammar in relation to what is needed for progress and the text type being taught. It is also founded on the principle that schools should increase the amount children read/are read to and establishing a very strong ‘literature spine’ which identifies key stories, picture books, poems and non-fiction which will be read and drawn upon and referred to when teaching writing. The PLP has been planned as below, ensuring that the 2-year programme covers the full range of genres that pupils should experience. English Curriculum Rationale 55 KB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/st-joseph-s-catholic-primary-jarrow/files/documents/English_Curriculum_rationale.pdf) PLP Whole School English Overview 197 KB [Open for printing](https://files.schudio.com/st-joseph-s-catholic-primary-jarrow/files/documents/PLP_Whole_School_English_Overview.pdf) Alongside this, pupils are given a spine of quality reading books that we aim to read to them over the 2-year cycle. The table of books is available to view on our school website in the English section. ![](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/images/Screenshot-2021-10-14-150540-1-300x56.jpg) Pupils from Year 2 onwards also take part in Whole Class Reading sessions on a regular basis. Each week has a theme running through the focus. For example, Year 5 have a week based on Brazil, reading excerpts from Journey To The River Sea by Eva Ibbotson, non fiction text on the footballer Pele and listening to and interpreting the lyrics to Trains To Brazil by The Guillemots. ![](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/images/Screenshot-2021-10-14-150659-300x116.jpg) ### Our Curriculum - [Curriculum Overview](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-statement) - [Curriculum Subjects](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject) - [Art](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/art-curriculum) - [Computing](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/computing-curriculum) - [Design & Technology](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/design-technology-curriculum) - [English](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/english-curriculum) - [EYFS](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/reception-curriculum) - [Geography](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/geography-curriculum) - [History](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/history-curriculum) - [Maths](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/maths-curriculum) - [MFL](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/mfl-curriculum) - [Music](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/music-curriculum) - [PE](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/pe-curriculum) - [RE](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/religious-education-curriculum) - [RSHE](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/rshe-curriculum) - [Science](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/curriculum-subject/science-curriculum) - [Reading & Phonics ](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/reading-phonics) - [Remote Education ](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/our-curriculum/remote-education) ![St. Joseph's Catholic Primary](https://files.schudio.com/st-joseph-s-catholic-primary-jarrow/images/logo/logo-footer-with-diocese-02(2).png) ### St. Joseph's Catholic Primary St. Joseph's Way Jarrow NE32 4PJ 0191 536 4311 ### Trust Information - [Website Terms](https://bccet.org.uk/website-terms/) - [Accessibility Statement](https://bccet.org.uk/accessibility-statement/) - [Privacy Notice](https://bccet.org.uk/privacy-policy/) ### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/stjosephsja) © Copyright 2025–2026 St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://stjosephsjarrow.co.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)