English

Subject Leader Profile

My Profile

My name is Debra Welsby. I am one of the Reception teachers at St Thomas’ CEP School and hold the TLR for Foundation stage. I have enjoyed 23 years of teaching at St Thomas’ School and have spent the majority of my time here within the Early Years and Key Stage 1.

I am one of the English subject leaders and feel passionate about leading this subject for many reasons.

Stories unlock and expand children’s imagination which directly impacts on the development of children’s spoken language and writing skills. A book is simply like a doorway into another world that can be both real and imaginary. Through the effective teaching of phonics children quickly transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Watching a child unlock the skill of reading is truly fascinating. When a child learns to read their opportunities in life become endless.

Through the English curriculum, the children at St Thomas’ enjoy a vast range of teaching and learning experiences that engage, excite and inspire.

Subject Leader Profile

My Profile

I am Debbie Mercer, one of the English Subject leaders at St Thomas’. I am a Specialist Leader of Education and a writing moderator for Blackburn with Darwen. Over the past five years I have been successfully involved teaching children debating and public speaking skills. I am also a CAS Master teacher and an ambassador for LBQ (Learning by Questions). I embrace opportunities to make learning fun, relevant and engaging to the children I teach. This desire has led me to be involved in active research and develop self paced learning technologies with LBQ.
I truly believe reading and writing are inseparable. A writer who doesn’t read is like a singer that does not listen to music. A well-read writer can draw upon a better vocabulary and understands how to effectively use language to produce quality writing. Experience has taught me that all children can love reading and writing, it is merely the teachers role to create that hook whilst giving the children a reason to write.

Reading is like breathing in. Writing is like breathing out
– John Dailberg

Curriculum Intent Statement

At St Thomas our aim is to plan for an English curriculum that engages, excites and empowers our children whilst preparing them for today and tomorrow. We have designed an English curriculum that reflects the needs of our children and:

Builds on children’s prior knowledge
Provides relevant and stimulating learning experiences
Has vocabulary at the heart of outstanding daily practice
Develops effective and successful communicators of the future
Develops a love of reading and a passion for writing

Our English curriculum brings together the important skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening equipping our children to be critical thinkers, effective communicators both in written and oral forms. Underpinning all other areas of the learning we believe that our English curriculum equips St Thomas’ children with essential skills to enable them to be life long learners.

READING