The National Curriculum English programmes of study for key stages 1 and 2 gives little direction about which text types to include in each year group: it references Year 2 pupils writing narratives, poetry, writing about real events and for different purposes; it cites examples of writing narratives, explanations or descriptions for real purposes and audiences in lower key stage 2, and in upper key stage 2, it states that children should ‘continue to learn the conventions of different types of writing’, citing examples of narratives and diaries.
With this guidance in mind, most English packs contain narrative, poetry and non-fiction text types for children to write. The genre of narrative is chosen to suit the project content; for example, simple adventure stories in key stage 1 lead to more complex genres in key stage 2, including myths in Groundbreaking Greeks and Invasion, stories from another culture in Ancient Civilisations and Dynamic Dynasties and historical narratives in Through the Ages and Britain at War. Playscripts are also included in key stage 2.
In the same way, the genre of poetry begins simply in key stage 1 with list poems, riddles and kennings poems. This builds in key stage 2 to poems with specific forms, such as cinquains, odes, nonets and haiku, as well as the longer forms of free verse and narrative poetry.
Non-fiction text types are chosen to fit the project content; for example, there are balanced arguments in Groundbreaking Greeks and Sow, Grow and Farm, newspaper articles in Maafa and Frozen Kingdoms, persuasion in Movers and Shakers and Maafa and biographies in Emperors and Empires and Dynamic Dynasties. Some text types, such as non-chronological reports, lend themselves to many projects and can be found in most year groups. Other text types, such as scientific reports and instructions, can be found in other curriculum areas, such as science and design and technology.
The text types always incorporate the grammatical content of the National Curriculum for the appropriate year group, for example, in lower key stage 2, the narratives incorporate direct speech and fronted adverbials.
The text types are written for a real purpose and audience where possible, for example, the letter to the headteacher in School Days and the persuasive speech to classmates in Movers and Shakers. The playscripts and poems are all written to be performed.
This rationale ensures that we offer a broad range of text types across all year groups. Within the larger context of a school’s own writing strategy, the English Packs support schools to provide varied writing opportunities across the wider curriculum.
For more information on English in the Cornerstones Curriculum, please see the English Overview sheet located in the Library.
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