| 1 | English programmes of study : key stage 4 National curriculum in England July 2014 |
| 2 | Purpose of study |
| 3 | English has a pre - eminent place in education and in society . |
| 4 | A high - quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening , others can communicate with them . |
| 5 | Through reading in particular , pupils have a chance to develop culturally , emotionally , intellectually , socially and spiritually . |
| 6 | Literature , especially , plays a key role in such development . |
| 7 | Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know . |
| 8 | All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society ; pupils , therefore , who do not learn to speak , read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised . |
| 9 | Aims |
| 10 | The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word , and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment . |
| 11 | The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils : <bull> read easily , fluently and with good understanding <bull> develop the habit of reading widely and often , for both pleasure and information <bull> acquire a wide vocabulary , an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading , writing and spoken language <bull> appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage <bull> write clearly , accurately and coherently , adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts , purposes and audiences <bull> use discussion in order to learn ; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas <bull> are competent in the arts of speaking and listening , making formal presentations , demonstrating to others and participating in debate . |
| 12 | Spoken language |
| 13 | The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils ' development across the whole curriculum -- cognitively , socially and linguistically . |
| 14 | Spoken language continues to underpin the development of pupils ' reading and writing during key stage 4 and teachers should therefore ensure pupils ' confidence and competence in this area continue to develop . |
| 15 | Pupils should be taught to understand and use the conventions for discussion and debate , as well as continuing to develop their skills in working collaboratively with their peers to discuss reading , writing and speech across the curriculum . |
| 16 | Reading and writing |
| 17 | Reading at key stage 4 should be wide , varied and challenging . |
| 18 | Pupils should be expected to read whole books , to read in depth and to read for pleasure and information . |
| 19 | Pupils should continue to develop their knowledge of and skills in writing , refining their drafting skills and developing resilience to write at length . |
| 20 | They should be taught to write formal and academic essays as well as writing imaginatively . |
| 21 | They should be taught to write for a variety of purposes and audiences across a range of contexts . |
| 22 | This requires an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar . |
| 23 | Opportunities for teachers to enhance pupils ' vocabulary will arise naturally from their reading and writing . |
| 24 | Teachers should show pupils how to understand the relationships between words , how to understand nuances in meaning , and how to develop their understanding of , and ability to use , figurative language . |
| 25 | Pupils should be taught to control their speaking and writing consciously , understand why sentences are constructed as they are and to use Standard English . |
| 26 | They should understand and use age - appropriate vocabulary , including linguistic and literary terminology , for discussing their reading , writing and spoken language . |
| 27 | This involves consolidation , practice and discussion of language . |
| 28 | It is important that pupils learn the correct grammatical terms in English and that these terms are integrated within teaching . |
| 29 | Teachers should build on the knowledge and skills that pupils have been taught at key stage 3 . |
| 30 | Decisions about progression should be based on the security of pupils ' linguistic knowledge , skills and understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage . |
| 31 | Pupils whose linguistic development is more advanced should be challenged through being offered opportunities for increased breadth and depth in reading and writing . |
| 32 | Those who are less fluent should consolidate their knowledge , understanding and skills , including through additional practice . |