Literacy – United Kingdom – National Curriculum
Years 5 and 6 programme of study
KS2.Y56.R.WR – Reading - word reading
Pupils should be taught to:
KS2.Y56.R.WR.1 – Apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (morphology and etymology), as listed in English appendix 1, both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words that they meet
KS2.Y56.R.C – Reading - comprehension
Pupils should be taught to:
KS2.Y56.R.C.1 – Maintain positive attitudes to reading and an understanding of what they read by:
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.a: continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.b: reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.c: increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths, legends and traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books from other cultures and traditions
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.d:recommending books that they have read to their peers, giving reasons for their choices
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.e: identifying and discussing themes and conventions in and across a wide range of writing
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.f: making comparisons within and across books
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.g: learning a wider range of poetry by heart
KS2.Y56.R.C.1.e: preparing poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience
KS2.Y56.R.C.2 – Understand what they read by:
KS2.Y56.R.C.2.a: checking that the book makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and exploring the meaning of words in context
KS2.Y56.R.C.2.b: asking questions to improve their understanding
KS2.Y56.R.C.2.c: drawing inferences such as inferring characters' feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence
KS2.Y56.R.C.2.d: predicting what might happen from details stated and implied
KS2.Y56.R.C.2.e: summarising the main ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas
KS2.Y56.R.C.2.f: identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning
KS2.Y56.R.C.3 – Discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader
KS2.Y56.R.C.4 – Distinguish between statements of fact and opinion
KS2.Y56.R.C.5 – Retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction
KS2.Y56.R.C.6 – Participate in discussions about books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, building on their own and others' ideas and challenging views courteously
KS2.Y56.R.C.7 – Explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read, including through formal presentations and debates, maintaining a focus on the topic and using notes where necessary
KS2.Y56.R.C.8 – Provide reasoned justifications for their views
KS2.Y56.W.T – Writing - transcription
Pupils should be taught to:
KS2.Y56.W.T.1 – Use further prefixes and suffixes and understand the guidance for adding them
KS2.Y56.W.T.2 – Spell some words with 'silent' letters [for example, knight, psalm, solemn]
KS2.Y56.W.T.3 – Continue to distinguish between homophones and other words which are often confused
KS2.Y56.W.T.4 – Use knowledge of morphology and etymology in spelling and understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically, as listed in English appendix 1
KS2.Y56.W.T.5 – Use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of words
KS2.Y56.W.T.6 – Use the first 3 or 4 letters of a word to check spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary
KS2.Y56.W.T.7 – Use a thesaurus
KS2.Y56.HP – Handwriting and presentation
Pupils should be taught to:
KS2.Y56.HP.1 – Write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by:
KS2.Y56.HP.1.a: choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters
KS2.Y56.HP.1.b: choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task
KS2.Y56.W.C – Writing - composition
Pupils should be taught to:
KS2.Y56.W.C.1 – Plan their writing by:
KS2.Y56.W.C.1.a: identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own
KS2.Y56.W.C.1.b: noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary
KS2.Y56.W.C.1.c: in writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings in what pupils have read, listened to or seen performed
KS2.Y56.W.C.2 – Draft and write by:
KS2.Y56.W.C.2.a: selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning
KS2.Y56.W.C.2.b: in narratives, describing settings, characters and atmosphere and integrating dialogue to convey character and advance the action
KS2.Y56.W.C.2.c: precising longer passages
KS2.Y56.W.C.2.d: using a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs
KS2.Y56.W.C.2.e: using further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader [for example, headings, bullet points, underlining]
KS2.Y56.W.C.3 – Evaluate and edit by:
KS2.Y56.W.C.3.a: assessing the effectiveness of their own and others' writing
KS2.Y56.W.C.3.b: proposing changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning
KS2.Y56.W.C.3.c: ensuring the consistent and correct use of tense throughout a piece of writing
KS2.Y56.W.C.3.d: ensuring correct subject and verb agreement when using singular and plural, distinguishing between the language of speech and writing and choosing the appropriate register
KS2.Y56.W.C.4 – Proofread for spelling and punctuation errors
KS2.Y56.W.C.5 – Perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and movement so that meaning is clear
KS2.Y56.W.VGP – Writing - vocabulary, grammar and punctuation
Pupils should be taught to:
KS2.Y56.W.VGP.1 – Develop their understanding of the concepts set out in English appendix 2 by:
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.1.a: recognising vocabulary and structures that are appropriate for formal speech and writing, including subjunctive forms
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.1.b: using passive verbs to affect the presentation of information in a sentence
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.1.c: using the perfect form of verbs to mark relationships of time and cause
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.1.d: using expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.1.e: using modal verbs or adverbs to indicate degrees of possibility
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.1.f: using relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or with an implied (ie omitted) relative pronoun
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.1.g: learning the grammar for years 5 and 6 in English appendix 2
KS2.Y56.W.VGP.2 – Indicate grammatical and other features by:
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.2.a: using commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity in writing
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.2.b: using hyphens to avoid ambiguity
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.2.c: using brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.2.d: using semicolons, colons or dashes to mark boundaries between independent clauses
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.2.e: using a colon to introduce a list
KS2.Y56.W.VPG.2.f: punctuating bullet points consistently
KS2.Y56.W.VGP.3 – Use and understand the grammatical terminology in English appendix 2 accurately and appropriately in discussing their writing and reading
KS2.Y56.SL – Spoken language
Pupils should be taught to:
KS2.Y56.SL.1 – Listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
KS2.Y56.SL.2 – Ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
KS2.Y56.SL.3 – Use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
KS2.Y56.SL.4 – Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
KS2.Y56.SL.5 – Give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
KS2.Y56.SL.6 – Maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
KS2.Y56.SL.7 – Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
KS2.Y56.SL.8 – Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
KS2.Y56.SL.9 – Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play/improvisations and debates
KS2.Y56.SL.10 – Gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
KS2.Y56.SL.11 – Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
KS2.Y56.SL.12 – Select and use appropriate registers for effective communication