Cambridge Primary

English Curriculum Framework

 Contents Introduction

Stage 1 .....................................................................................................1 Welcome to the Cambridge Primary English curriculum framework.

Stage 2 .....................................................................................................4 This framework provides a comprehensive set of progressive learning

objectives for English. The objectives detail what the learner should
Stage 3 .....................................................................................................7 know or what they should be able to do in English in each year of
primary education. They provide a structure for teaching and learning
Stage 4 ................................................................................................... 11 and a reference against which learners' ability and understanding can be
checked.
Stage 5 ................................................................................................... 15
The Cambridge Primary English curriculum is presented in five content
Stage 6 ................................................................................................... 19 areas. The framework promotes an enquiry-based approach to learning to
develop thinking skills and encourage intellectual engagement. Phonics,
spelling and vocabulary and Grammar and punctuation are about use of
English. Grammar and punctuation is further divided into Reading and
Writing to reflect the different ways in which grammar and punctuation
are applied in each of these skills. Reading, Writing, and Speaking and
listening are about developing thinking skills and encouraging intellectual
engagement. This curriculum aims to enable learners to communicate
confidently and effectively and to develop critical skills in order to
respond to a range of information, media and texts with enjoyment and
understanding. Learners who follow this framework will develop a first
language competency in English based on a curriculum designed to be
successful in any culture and to promote cross-cultural understanding.
The Cambridge Primary English curriculum framework provides a solid
foundation on which the later stages of education can be built.

The Cambridge Curriculum is founded on the values of the University

of Cambridge and best practice in schools. The curriculum is dedicated
to developing learners who are confident, responsible, innovative and
engaged. Each curriculum framework for English, mathematics and
science is designed to engage learners in an active and creative learning
journey.

b Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 1

Stage 1
Phonics, spelling and vocabulary Grammar and punctuation
• Hear, read and write initial letter sounds. Reading

• Know the name and most common sound associated with every • Pause at full stops when reading.
letter in the English alphabet.
• Identify sentences in a text.
• Identify separate sounds (phonemes) within words, which may be
represented by more than one letter, e.g. ‘th’, ‘ch’, ‘sh’. • Know that a capital letter is used for I, for proper nouns and for the
start of a sentence.
• Use knowledge of sounds to read and write single syllable words
with short vowels. Writing

• Blend to read, and segment to spell, words with final and initial • Mark some sentence endings with a full stop.
adjacent consonants, e.g. b-l, n-d. • Write sentence-like structures which may be joined by and.
• Begin to learn common spellings of long vowel phonemes, e.g. ‘ee’,
‘ai’, ‘oo’.

• Use knowledge of sounds to write simple regular words, and to

attempt other words.

• Spell familiar common words accurately, drawing on sight vocabulary.

• Use rhyme and relate this to spelling patterns.

• Recognise common word endings, e.g. -s, -ed and -ing.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 1

 Stage 1
Stage 1

• Talk about significant aspects of a story’s language, e.g. repetitive

Reading refrain, rhyme, patterned language.
The following genres and text types are recommended at Stage 1: • Enjoy a range of books, discussing preferences.
Fiction and poetry: real life stories, traditional tales from different • Make links to own experiences.
cultures, fantasy stories, poetry and plays.
• Learn and recite simple poems.
Non-fiction: non-chronological report, simple recount, instructions.
• Join in and extend rhymes and refrains, playing with language
Fiction and poetry patterns.

• Join in with reading familiar, simple stories and poems. Demonstrate Non-fiction
an understanding that one spoken word corresponds with one
written word. • Read labels, lists and captions to find information.

• Know that in English, print is read from left to right and top to • Know the parts of a book, e.g. title page, contents.
bottom. • Show awareness that texts for different purposes look different,
• Read a range of common words on sight. e.g. use of photographs, diagrams, etc.

• Use phonic knowledge to read decodable words and to attempt to • Read and talk about own writing.
sound out some elements of unfamiliar words.

• Read aloud from simple books independently.

• Anticipate what happens next in a story.

• Talk about events in a story and make simple inferences about

characters and events to show understanding.

• Recognise story elements, e.g. beginning, middle and end.

• Retell stories, with some appropriate use of story language.

2 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 1

Stage 1
Writing Speaking and listening
Fiction • Speak clearly and choose words carefully to express feelings and
ideas when speaking of matters of immediate interest.
• Write simple storybooks with sentences to caption pictures.
• Converse audibly with friends, teachers and other adults.
• Write a sequence of sentences retelling a familiar story or recounting
an experience. • Show some awareness of the listener through non-verbal
communication.
• Begin to use some formulaic language, e.g. Once upon a time.
• Answer questions and explain further when asked.
• Compose and write a simple sentence with a capital letter and a full
stop. • Speak confidently to a group to share an experience.

• Use relevant vocabulary. • Take turns in speaking.

Non-fiction • Listen to others and respond appropriately.

• Write for a purpose using some basic features of text type. • Listen carefully to questions and instructions.

• Write simple information texts with labels, captions, lists, questions • Engage in imaginative play, enacting simple characters or situations.
and instructions for a purpose.
• Note that people speak in different ways for different purposes and
• Record answers to questions, e.g. as lists, charts. meanings.

Presentation

• Develop a comfortable and efficient pencil grip.

• Form letters correctly.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 3

 Stage 2

Phonics, spelling and vocabulary Grammar and punctuation

• Learn the different common spellings of long vowel phonemes. Reading
Stage 2

• Learn the different ways in which vowels can be pronounced, • Begin to read with fluency and expression, taking some notice of
e.g. how, low; apple, apron. punctuation, including speech marks.

• Apply knowledge of phonemes and spelling patterns in writing • Read and respond to question words, e.g. what, where, when, who,
independently. why.

• Secure the spelling of high frequency words and common irregular Writing
words.
• Write in clear sentences using capital letters, full stops and question
• Identify syllables and split familiar compound words into parts. marks.

• Spell words with common prefixes and suffixes, e.g. un-, dis-, • Use past and present tenses accurately but not always consistently.
-ful, -ly.
• Use mainly simple and compound sentences, with and/but used to
• Build and use collections of interesting and significant words. connect ideas. Because may begin to be used in a complex
sentence.
• Discuss the meaning of unfamiliar words encountered in reading.
• Begin to vary sentence openings, e.g. with simple adverbs.
• Choose interesting words and phrases, e.g. in describing people and
places. • Use a variety of simple organisational devices in non-fiction,
e.g. headings, captions.

• Begin to re-read own writing for sense and accuracy.

4 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 2

• Read poems and comment on words and sounds, rhyme and

Reading rhythm.
The following genres and text types are recommended at Stage 2: Non-fiction

Stage 2
Fiction and poetry: real life stories, traditional tales from different • Read and follow simple instructions, e.g. in a recipe.
cultures, different stories by the same author, longer stories, poetry
and plays. • Locate words by initial letter in simple dictionaries, glossaries and
indexes.
Non-fiction: non-chronological report, instructions, explanation,
reference texts. • Find answers to questions by reading a section of text.

Fiction and poetry • Find factual information from different formats, e.g. charts, labelled
diagrams.
• Extend the range of common words recognised on sight.
• Identify general features of known text types.
• Use phonics as the main method of tackling unfamiliar words.
• Show some awareness that texts have different purposes.
• Read aloud with increased accuracy, fluency and expression.
• Explore a variety of non-fiction texts on screen.
• Identify and describe story settings and characters, recognising that
they may be from different times and places.

• Predict story endings.

• Make simple inferences from the words on the page, e.g. about
feelings

• Talk about what happens at the beginning, in the middle or at the end
of a story.

• Comment on some vocabulary choices, e.g. adjectives.

• Begin to develop likes and dislikes in reading.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 5

 Stage 2

Writing Presentation

Fiction • Form letters correctly and consistently.

Stage 2

• Develop stories with a setting, characters and a sequence of events. • Practise handwriting patterns and the joining of letters.

• Structure a story with a beginning, middle and end.

Speaking and listening
• Link ideas in sections, grouped by content
• Recount experiences and explore possibilities.
• Find alternatives to and/then in developing a narrative and connecting
ideas. • Explain plans and ideas, extending them in the light of discussion.

• Write with a variety of sentence types. • Articulate clearly so that others can hear.

• Use the structures of familiar poems and stories in developing own • Vary talk and expression to gain and hold the listener’s attention.
writing.
• Show awareness of the listener by including relevant details.
• Begin to use dialogue in stories.
• Attempt to express ideas precisely, using a growing vocabulary.
• Use the language of time, e.g. suddenly, after that.
• Listen carefully and respond appropriately, asking questions of
• Choose some interesting words and phrases, e.g. in describing others.
people and places.
• Demonstrate ‘attentive listening’ and engage with another speaker.
Non-fiction
• Extend experiences and ideas through role-play.
• Write simple evaluations of books read.
• Begin to be aware of ways in which speakers vary talk, for example
• Write instructions and recount events and experiences. the use of more formal vocabulary and tone of voice.

• Use features of chosen text type. • Show awareness that speakers use a variety of ways of speaking in
different situations and try out different ways of speaking.
• Use simple non-fiction texts as a model for writing.

• Make simple notes from a section of non-fiction texts, e.g. listing key
words.

6 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 3

Phonics, spelling and vocabulary • Explore vocabulary for introducing and concluding dialogue, e.g. said,
asked.
• Use effective strategies to tackle blending unfamiliar words to read,
including sounding out, separating into syllables, using analogy, • Generate synonyms for high frequency words, e.g. big, little, good.
identifying known suffixes and prefixes, using context.

• Use and spell compound words. Grammar and punctuation

• Know irregular forms of common verbs. Reading

Stage 3
• Use effective strategies to tackle segmenting unfamiliar words to • Use knowledge of punctuation and grammar to read age-appropriate
spell, including segmenting into individual sounds, separating into texts with fluency, understanding and expression.
syllables, using analogy, identifying known suffixes and prefixes,
• Recognise the use of the apostrophe to mark omission in shortened
applying known spelling rules, visual memory, mnemonics.
words, e.g. can’t, don’t.
• Learn rules for adding -ing, -ed, -s to verbs.
• Collect examples of nouns, verbs and adjectives, and use the terms
• Extend earlier work on prefixes and suffixes. appropriately.

• Explore words that have the same spelling but different meanings • Identify pronouns and understand their function in a sentence.
(homonyms), e.g. form, wave.
• Understand that verbs are necessary for meaning in a sentence.
• Use a dictionary or electronic means to find the spelling and meaning
• Understand pluralisation and use the terms ‘singular’ and ‘plural’.
of words.

• Organise words or information alphabetically using first two letters.

• Identify misspelt words in own writing and keep individual spelling

logs.

• Consider how choice of words can heighten meaning.

• Infer the meaning of unknown words from the context.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 7

 Stage 3

Grammar and punctuation (continued) Fiction and poetry

Writing • Sustain the reading of 48 and 64 page books, noting how a text is
organised into sections or chapters.
• Maintain accurate use of capital letters and full stops in showing
sentences. • Read aloud with expression to engage the listener.

• Learn the basic conventions of speech punctuation and begin to use • Answer questions with some reference to single points in a text.
speech marks. • Begin to infer meanings beyond the literal, e.g. about motives and
Stage 3

• Use question marks, exclamation marks, and commas in lists. character.

• Continue to improve consistency in the use of tenses. • Identify different types of stories and typical story themes.

• Ensure grammatical agreement of pronouns and verbs in using • Identify the main points or gist of a text.
standard English. • Consider words that make an impact, e.g. adjectives and powerful
• Use a wider variety of sentence types including simple, compound verbs.
and some complex sentences. • Understand and use the terms ‘fact’, ‘fiction’ and ‘non-fiction’.
• Begin to vary sentence openings, e.g. with simple adverbs. • Read a range of story, poetry and information books and begin to
make links between them.
Reading • Read and comment on different books by the same author.

The following genres and text types are recommended at Stage 3: • Read play-scripts and dialogue, with awareness of different voices.

Fiction and poetry: real life stories, myths and legends, adventure • Practise learning and reciting poems.
stories, poetry and plays.

Non-fiction: letters, reports, instructions, reference texts.

8 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 3

Reading (continued) Writing

Non-fiction Fiction

• Scan a passage to find specific information and answer questions. • Write first-person accounts and descriptions based on observation.

• Locate information in non-fiction texts using contents page and • Develop descriptions of settings in stories.
index.
• Write portraits of characters.
• Read and follow instructions to carry out an activity.

Stage 3
• Write simple play-scripts based on reading.
• Consider ways that information is set out on page and on screen,
e.g. lists, charts, bullet points. • Plan main points as a structure for story writing.

• Locate books by classification. • Begin to organise writing in sections or paragraphs in extended

stories.
• Identify the main purpose of a text.
• Develop range of adverbials to signal the relationship between
• Use ICT sources to locate simple information. events.

• Use reading as a model for writing dialogue.

• Write and perform poems, attending to the sound of words.

• Choose and compare words to strengthen the impact of writing,

including noun phrases.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 9

 Stage 3

Writing (continued) Speaking and listening

Non-fiction • Speak clearly and confidently in a range of contexts, including longer
speaking turns.
• Write book reviews summarising what a book is about.
• Adapt tone of voice, use of vocabulary and non-verbal features for
• Establish purpose for writing, using features and style based on different audiences.
model texts.
• Take turns in discussion, building on what others have said.
• Write letters, notes and messages.
Stage 3

• Listen and respond appropriately to others’ views and opinions.

• Make a record of information drawn from a text, e.g. by completing a
chart. • Listen and remember a sequence of instructions.

Presentation • Practise to improve performance when reading aloud.

• Ensure consistency in the size and proportion of letters and the • Begin to adapt movement to create a character in drama.
spacing of words.
• Develop sensitivity to ways that others express meaning in their talk
• Practise joining letters in handwriting. and non-verbal communication.

• Build up handwriting speed, fluency and legibility.

• Use IT to write, edit and present work.

10 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 4

Phonics, spelling and vocabulary • Explore degrees of intensity in adjectives, e.g. cold, tepid, warm, hot.

• Extend knowledge and use of spelling patterns, e.g. vowel • Look for alternatives for overused words and expressions.
phonemes, double consonants, silent letters, common prefixes and • Collect and classify words with common roots, e.g. invent, prevent.
suffixes.
• Build words from other words with similar meanings, e.g. medical,
• Confirm all parts of the verb to be and know when to use each one. medicine.
• Apply phonic/spelling, graphic, grammatical and contextual
knowledge in reading unfamiliar words.
Grammar and punctuation
• Identify syllabic patterns in multisyllabic words.
Reading
• Spell words with common letter strings but different pronunciations,
• Use knowledge of punctuation and grammar to read with fluency,
e.g. tough, through, trough, plough
understanding and expression.

Stage 4
• Investigate spelling patterns; generate and test rules that govern
• Identify all the punctuation marks and respond to them when
them.
reading.
• Revise rules for spelling words with common inflections, e.g. -ing,
• Learn the use of the apostrophe to show possession, e.g. girl’s,
-ed, -s.
girls’.
• Extend earlier work on prefixes and suffixes.
• Practise using commas to mark out meaning within sentences.
• Match spelling to meaning when words sound the same
• Identify adverbs and their impact on meaning.
(homophones), e.g. to/two/too, right/write.
• Investigate past, present and future tenses of verbs.
• Use all the letters in sequence for alphabetical ordering.
• Investigate the grammar of different sentences: statements,
• Check and correct spellings and identify words that need to be
questions and orders.
learned.
• Understand the use of connectives to structure an argument, e.g. if,
• Use more powerful verbs, e.g. rushed instead of went.
although.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 11

 Stage 4

Grammar and punctuation (continued) Fiction and poetry

Writing • Extend the range of reading.

• Use a range of end-of-sentence punctuation with accuracy. • Explore the different processes of reading silently and reading aloud.

• Use speech marks and begin to use other associated punctuation. • Investigate how settings and characters are built up from details and
identify key words and phrases.
• Experiment with varying tenses within texts, e.g. in dialogue.
• Explore implicit as well as explicit meanings within a text.
• Use a wider variety of connectives in an increasing range of
sentences. • Recognise meaning in figurative language.

• Re-read own writing to check punctuation and grammatical sense. • Understand the main stages in a story from introduction to
resolution.

• Explore narrative order and the focus on significant events.

Stage 4

Reading
• Retell or paraphrase events from the text in response to questions.
The following genres and text types are recommended at Stage 4:
• Understand how expressive and descriptive language creates mood.
Fiction and poetry: historical stories, stories set in imaginary worlds,
stories from other cultures, real life stories with issues/dilemmas, • Express a personal response to a text and link characters and
poetry and plays including imagery. settings to personal experience.

Non-fiction: newspapers and magazines, reference texts, • Read further stories or poems by a favourite writer, and compare
explanations, persuasion including advertisements. them.

• Read and perform play-scripts, exploring how scenes are built up.

• Explore the impact of imagery and figurative language in poetry,

including alliteration and simile, e.g. as ... as a ....

• Compare and contrast poems and investigate poetic features.

12 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 4

Reading (continued) Writing

Non-fiction Fiction

• Understand how points are ordered to make a coherent argument. • Explore different ways of planning stories, and write longer stories
from plans.
• Understand how paragraphs and chapters are used to organise ideas.
• Elaborate on basic information with some detail.
• Identify different types of non-fiction text and their known key
features. • Write character profiles, using detail to capture the reader’s
imagination.
• Read newspaper reports and consider how they engage the reader.
• Explore alternative openings and endings for stories.
• Investigate how persuasive writing is used to convince a reader.
• Begin to adopt a viewpoint as a writer, expressing opinions about
• Note key words and phrases to identify the main points in a passage. characters or places.

Stage 4
• Distinguish between fact and opinion in print and ICT sources. • Begin to use paragraphs more consistently to organise and sequence
ideas.

• Choose and compare words to strengthen the impact of writing,

including some powerful verbs.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 13

 Stage 4

Writing (continued) Speaking and listening

Non-fiction • Organise ideas in a longer speaking turn to help the listener.

• Explore the layout and presentation of writing, in the context of • Vary use of vocabulary and level of detail according to purpose.
helping it to fit its purpose.
• Understand the gist of an account or the significant points and
• Show awareness of the reader by adopting an appropriate style or respond to main ideas with relevant suggestions and comments.
viewpoint.
• Deal politely with opposing points of view.
• Write newspaper-style reports, instructions and non-chronological
reports. • Listen carefully in discussion, contributing relevant comments and
questions.
• Present an explanation or a point of view in ordered points, e.g. in a
letter. • Adapt the pace and loudness of speaking appropriately when
performing or reading aloud.
Stage 4

• Collect and present information from non-fiction texts.

• Adapt speech and gesture to create a character in drama.
• Make short notes from a text and use these to aid writing.
• Comment on different ways that meaning can be expressed in own
• Summarise a sentence or a paragraph in a limited number of words. and others’ talk.

Presentation

• Use joined-up handwriting in all writing.

14 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 5

• Use dictionaries efficiently and carry out IT spell checks.

Phonics, spelling and vocabulary
• Identify unfamiliar words, explore definitions and use new words in
• Investigate the spelling of word-final unstressed vowels, e.g. the
context.
unstressed ‘er’ at the end of butter and unstressed ‘ee’ at the end of
city. • Extend understanding of the use of adverbs to qualify verbs, e.g. in
dialogue.
• Recognise a range of less common letter strings in words which may
be pronounced differently. • Use a thesaurus to extend vocabulary and choice of words.
• Spell and make correct use of possessive pronouns, e.g. their, theirs, • Collect synonyms and opposites and investigate shades of meaning.
my, mine.
• Use known spellings to work out the spelling of related words.
• Identify ‘silent’ vowels in polysyllabic words, e.g. library, interest.
• Identify word roots and derivations to support spelling and
• Use effective strategies for learning new spellings and misspelt vocabulary, e.g. sign, signal, signature.
words.
• Investigate the origin and appropriate use of idiomatic phrases.
• Learn spelling rules for words ending in -e and -y, e.g. take/taking,
try/tries.
Grammar and punctuation
• Know rules for doubling consonants and investigate patterns in the
use of single and double consonants, e.g. -full/-ful. Reading

Stage 5
• Investigate spelling patterns for pluralisation, e.g. -s, -es, -y/-ies, • Learn how dialogue is set out and punctuated.
-f/-ves.
• Identify prepositions and use the term.
• Extend earlier work on prefixes and suffixes, recognising that
• Understand conventions of standard English, e.g. agreement of
different spelling rules apply for suffixes which begin with vowels and
verbs.
those that begin with consonants.
• Understand the difference between direct and reported speech.
• Investigate ways of creating opposites, e.g. un-, im- and
comparatives, e.g. -er, -est. • Investigate clauses within sentences and how they are connected.
• Revise grammatical homophones, e.g. they’re, their, there.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 15

 Stage 5

Grammar and punctuation (continued) Fiction and poetry

Writing • Read widely and explore the features of different fiction genres.

• Begin to use the comma to separate clauses within sentences and • Provide accurate textual reference from more than one point in a
clarify meaning in complex sentences. story to support answers to questions.

• Use apostrophes for both possession and shortened forms. • Compare the structure of different stories.

• Begin to set out dialogue appropriately, using a range of punctuation. • Comment on a writer’s use of language and explain reasons for
writer’s choices.
• Use an increasing range of subordinating connectives.
• Begin to interpret imagery and techniques, e.g. metaphor,
• Explore ways of combining simple sentences and re-ordering clauses personification, simile, adding to understanding beyond the literal.
to make compound and complex sentences.
• Discuss metaphorical expressions and figures of speech.
• Use pronouns, making clear to what or to whom they refer.
• Identify the point of view from which a story is told.
• Practise proofreading and editing own writing for clarity and
correctness. • Consider how a writer expresses their own point of view, e.g. how
characters are presented.

• Read and identify characteristics of myths, legends and fables.

Stage 5

Reading
• Compare and evaluate the print and film versions of a novel or play.
The following genres and text types are recommended at Stage 5:
• Compare dialogue and dramatic conventions in film narrative.
Fiction and poetry: novels and longer stories, fables, myths and
legends, stories from other cultures, older literature including • Read and perform narrative poems.
traditional tales, poetry and plays including film narrative and dramatic
• Read poems by significant poets and compare style, forms and
conventions.
themes.
Non-fiction: instructions, recounts (including biography), persuasion.

16 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 5

Reading (continued) Writing

Non-fiction Fiction

• Look for information in non-fiction texts to build on what is already • Map out writing to plan structure, e.g. paragraphs, sections,
known. chapters.

• Locate information confidently and efficiently from different sources. • Write new scenes or characters into a story, or write from another
viewpoint.
• Skim read to gain an overall sense of a text and scan for specific
information. • Write own versions of legends, myths and fables, using structures
from reading.
• Develop note-taking to extract key points and to group and link ideas.
• Choose words and phrases carefully to convey feeling and
• Note the use of persuasive devices, words and phrases in print and atmosphere.
other media.
• Maintain a consistent viewpoint when writing.
• Explore the features of texts which are about events and
experiences, e.g. diaries. • Begin to attempt to establish links between paragraphs using
adverbials.
• Understand the use of impersonal style in explanatory texts.
• Write a play-script, including production notes to guide performance.

Stage 5
• Read and evaluate non-fiction texts for purpose, style, clarity and
organisation. • Use imagery and figurative language to evoke imaginative response.

• Compare writing that informs and persuades.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 17

 Stage 5

Writing (continued) Speaking and listening

Non-fiction • Shape and organise ideas clearly when speaking to aid listener.

• Record ideas, reflections and predictions about books, e.g. in a • Prepare and present an argument to persuade others to adopt a point
reading log. of view.

• Draft and write letters for real purposes. • Talk confidently in extended turns and listen purposefully in a range
of contexts.
• Use a more specialised vocabulary to match the topic.
• Begin to adapt non-verbal gestures and vocabulary to suit content
• Write non-chronological reports and explanations. and audience.
• Write a commentary on an issue, setting out and justifying a personal • Describe events and convey opinions with increasing clarity and
view. detail.
• Make notes for different purposes, using simple abbreviations and • Recall and discuss important features of a talk, possibly contributing
writing ‘in your own words’. new ideas.
• Understand the use of notes in writing ‘in your own words’. • Ask questions to develop ideas and extend understanding.
• Evaluate own and others’ writing. • Report back to a group, using notes to present findings about a topic
Stage 5

Presentation studied. Evaluate what is heard and give reasons for agreement or
disagreement.
• Review, revise and edit writing in order to improve it, using IT as
appropriate. • Take different roles and responsibilities within a group.

• Convey ideas about characters in drama through deliberate choice of

speech, gesture and movement.

• Begin to discuss how and why language choices vary in different

situations.

18 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 6

Phonics, spelling and vocabulary Grammar and punctuation

• Learn word endings with different spellings but the same Reading
pronunciation, e.g. -tion, -cian, -sion, -ssion; -ance, -ence.
• Identify uses of the colon, semi-colon, parenthetic commas, dashes
• Confirm correct choices when representing consonants, e.g. and brackets.
‘ck’/’k’/’ke’/’que’/’ch’; ‘ch’/’tch’; ‘j’/’dj’/’dje’.
• Revise different word classes.
• Continue to learn words, apply patterns and improve accuracy in
spelling. • Investigate the use of conditionals, e.g. to express possibility.

• Further investigate spelling rules and exceptions, including • Begin to show awareness of the impact of writers’ choices of
representing unstressed vowels. sentence length and structure.

• Develop knowledge of word roots, prefixes and suffixes, including • Revise language conventions and grammatical features of different
recognising variations, e.g. im, in, ir, il; ad, ap, af, al and knowing types of text.
when to use double consonants. • Explore use of active and passive verbs within a sentence.
• Know how to transform meaning with prefixes and suffixes. • Understand the conventions of standard English usage in different
• Investigate meanings and spellings of connectives. forms of writing.

• Explore definitions and shades of meaning and use new words in • Distinguish the main clause and other clauses in a complex
context. sentence.

• Explore word origins and derivations and the use of words from
other languages.

Stage 6
• Understand changes over time in words and expressions and their
use.

• Explore proverbs, sayings and figurative expressions.

Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 19

 Stage 6

• Consider how the author manipulates the reaction of the reader, e.g.
Grammar and punctuation (continued) how characters and settings are presented.
Writing
• Look for implicit meanings, and make plausible inferences based on
• Punctuate speech and use apostrophes accurately. more than one point in the text.

• Use a wider range of connectives to clarify relationships between • Understand aspects of narrative structure, e.g. the handling of time.
ideas, e.g. however, therefore, although.
• Analyse the success of writing in evoking particular moods,
• Use connectives to structure an argument or discussion. e.g. suspense.

• Develop grammatical control of complex sentences, manipulating • Paraphrase explicit meanings based on information at more than one
them for effect. point in the text.

• Develop increasing accuracy in using punctuation effectively to mark • Comment on writer’s use of language, demonstrating awareness of
out the meaning in complex sentences. its impact on the reader.

• Begin to develop awareness that the context for which the writer is
Reading writing and the context in which the reader is reading can impact on
how the text is understood.
The following genres and text types are recommended at Stage 6:
• Take account of viewpoint in a novel, and distinguish voice of author
Fiction: various genres including science fiction, extended narratives, from that of narrator.
stories with flashbacks, poetry and plays including imagery.
• Discuss and express preferences in terms of language, style and
Non-fiction: instructions, recounts (including biography and themes.
autobiography), diaries, journalistic writing, argument and discussion,
• Articulate personal responses to reading, with close reference to the
formal and impersonal writing.
Stage 6

text.
Fiction and poetry • Explore how poets manipulate and play with words and their sounds.
• Develop familiarity with the work of established authors and poets, • Read and interpret poems in which meanings are implied or
identifying features which are common to more than one text. multilayered.

20 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

Stage 6

Reading (continued) Writing

Non-fiction Fiction

• Analyse how paragraphs and chapters are structured and linked. • Plan plot, characters and structure effectively in writing an extended
story.
• Recognise key characteristics of a range of non-fiction text types.
• Manage the development of an idea throughout a piece of writing,
• Explore autobiography and biography, and first and third person e.g. link the end to the beginning.
narration.
• Establish and maintain a clear viewpoint, with some elaboration of
• Identify features of balanced written arguments. personal voice.
• Compare the language, style and impact of a range of non-fiction • Use different genres as models for writing.
writing.
• Use paragraphs, sequencing and linking them appropriately to
• Distinguish between fact and opinion in a range of texts and other support overall development of the text.
media.
• Use a range of devices to support cohesion within paragraphs.

• Develop some imaginative detail through careful use of vocabulary

and style.

Stage 6
Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011) 21
 Stage 6

Writing (continued) Speaking and listening

Non-fiction • Express and explain ideas clearly, making meaning explicit.

• Use the styles and conventions of journalism to write reports on • Use spoken language well to persuade, instruct or make a case,
events. e.g. in a debate.

• Adapt the conventions of the text type for a particular purpose. • Vary vocabulary, expression and tone of voice to engage the listener
and suit the audience, purpose and context.
• Select appropriate non-fiction style and form to suit specific
purposes. • Structure talk to aid a listener’s understanding and engagement.

• Write non-chronological reports linked to work in other subjects. • Speak confidently in formal and informal contexts.

• Develop skills of writing biography and autobiography in role. • Pay close attention in discussion to what others say, asking and
answering questions to introduce new ideas.
• Argue a case in writing, developing points logically and convincingly.
• Help to move group discussion forward, e.g. by clarifying,
• Write a balanced report of a controversial issue. summarising.
• Summarise a passage, chapter or text in a given number of words. • Prepare, practise and improve a spoken presentation or performance.
Presentation • Convey ideas about characters in drama in different roles and
• Use IT effectively to prepare and present writing for publication. scenarios through deliberate choice of speech, gesture and
movement.

• Reflect on variations in speech, and appropriate use of standard

English.
Stage 6

22 Cambridge Primary English Curriculum Framework (for use from 2011)

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