Subject Leader Profiles

Miss Riley

I am Kay Riley, one of the English Subject leaders here at Roe Lee Park.   I have had the privilege of working here all my career and have spent the majority of my time working in Key Stage 2.  I am also a writing moderator for Blackburn with Darwen.

As child, I could always be found tucked away somewhere with my head in a book and now, as an English lead, I have the opportunity share my passion for reading and writing with staff and our children.  I believe that reading is essential for learning, so instilling a love of reading is the golden key that unlocks the door to lifelong learning. I am passionate about all forms of literacy and believe that it is imperative that all children are given the chance to communicate, share and enjoy a wide range of books, writing styles and authors.  When a child is able to read and write, their opportunities become endless.

The best part about being a teacher and English lead is being able witness the children using their knowledge, skills and experiences to create worlds and characters that I can escape to. 

‘Writing is only reading turned inside out!’ John Updike

Mrs Gibbons

Welcome to English curriculum area, my name is Mrs Lindsey Gibbons. I am one of the Reception Class Teachers as well as the Early Years and Key Stage One Leader at Roe Lee Park Primary School. I have spent the majority of my career working with our youngest children. I am extremely passionate about providing them with strong foundations which will enable them to flourish and succeed as they continue through school.

As an English subject leader, I feel privileged to be able to drive a curriculum that is challenging and structured strategically so that children develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills. I firmly believe that spoken language and vocabulary underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing.

Every child deserves success right from the start. Through our English curriculum, we ensure that every child is given the opportunity to be taught the essential skills which enable them to become lifelong learners.

Mrs. Sewell

My name is Mrs Emily Sewell and I am one of the Year 5 teachers as well as Reading Lead at Roe Lee. I joined Roe Lee in the summer of 2022 and it is a privilege to now be one of the reading leaders helping our children grow as readers.  I love leading and teaching English and believe that effective communication through spoken and written language is the gateway to fostering a love of learning in all subject areas. English is a subject that spans the whole curriculum and can open countless doors for our children in later life. I am particularly passionate about reading and vocabulary and believe that they go very much hand in hand as we collect and store new words every time we challenge ourselves with a different novel. Our aim is grow a love for reading in our children and introduce them to a range of authors and genre through their journey here at Roe Lee. A book can take you anywhere you let it.  

In my spare time, I enjoy reading with my children at home and exploring all the different characters and authors we come across. I am also very proud to say that I have started the  100 Book Challenge and get very excited when the children discuss their favourites with me as I have yet to read them. 

“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” - J.K. Rowling

English at Roe Lee Park

At Roe Lee, we strive to help our children develop into articulate and imaginative communicators, who are well-equipped with the basic skills they need to become life-long learners; English learning is key in this.

We have designed an English curriculum that reflects the needs of our children and:

• Provides a clear pathway of progression that builds on prior knowledge and skills
• Creates stimulating and exciting learning experiences both within and beyond the classroom
• Give our children opportunities to develop all their language skills through narratives, poetry, non-fiction and plays amongst other genre
• Promotes a language rich environment, where the children are able to speak clearly and with confidence, conveying their views and ideas fluently using an ever growing vocabulary.
• Ensure that pupils not only read for pleasure but to use books to research and gather new knowledge to extend their understanding.

At Roe Lee, we recognise that reading, writing, speaking and listening are all significant life skills which are of central importance to a child’s learning and development.  These are vital to allow children access to all other areas of the curriculum and the world around them.

English Long Term Overview

English Long Term Progression

English Policy