Literacy
Our mission is to empower every student with the literacy skills essential for academic success and lifelong learning. Literacy is a cornerstone of our curriculum, and we integrate reading, writing, and communication skills across all subjects to ensure students develop the ability to thrive in every area of their education and beyond.
We adopt evidence-based practices from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), to prioritise literacy as a whole-school focus, ensuring it is embedded not only in English lessons but across all disciplines. Our strategy involves targeted instruction, structured support, and continuous evaluation to unlock the full potential of each learner.
Key Objectives and Actions
Prioritising Disciplinary Literacy Across the Curriculum
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Training teachers on integrating subject-specific vocabulary and communication into lessons.
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Incorporating key vocabulary into lesson slides and activities, including "Do Now" tasks.
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Introducing "Drop Everything and Read" lessons to the timetable.
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Assessing reading and writing ages at the start of the academic year.
Targeted Vocabulary Instruction
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Identifying key Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary in each subject and embedding them into schemes of work and lesson plans.
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Using effective vocabulary strategies such as etymology and morphology to deepen understanding.
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Regularly assessing vocabulary retention through lesson starters.
Developing Reading of Complex Texts
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Activating prior knowledge, encouraging prediction, and modelling reading strategies in lessons.
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Using Microsoft accessibility tools to support reading comprehension.
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Explicitly focusing on spelling, grammar, and punctuation in the context of meaningful writing.
Breaking Down Complex Writing Tasks
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Explicitly teaching writing processes, including planning and evaluation, through adaptive teaching.
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Providing paired and collaborative writing opportunities to boost motivation.
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Offering targeted support for students who struggle with writing fluency and quality.
Encouraging Structured Talk
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Implementing accountable talk frameworks to promote purposeful discussions.
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Creating structured opportunities for meaningful classroom and lunchtime discussions.
Providing High-Quality Literacy Interventions
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Using assessment data to identify and support students with weaker literacy skills.
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Coordinating interventions with specialist input where needed, ensuring alignment with whole-school goals.
' The school is committed to ensure pupils become fluent readers. The school’s approach to the teaching of reading helps reluctant readers to engage in reading a range of texts for pleasure, including non-fiction books. Pupils are well supported in becoming fluent readers.' ~ Ofsted 2024
Word of the Week
Each week, we introduce carefully selected vocabulary words to enhance students' language skills and subject-specific understanding. These words are integrated into lessons, activities, and home practice, helping students build a rich and meaningful vocabulary for academic and personal success.