By Stef Allen
The term literacy refers to speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Pupils rely on these skills across the school to engage with the curriculum. As a result, all staff members, regardless of their subject area, share the responsibility for supporting literacy and must collaboratively address any literacy challenges.
Sir Kevan Collins, former chief executive of the EEF, explains:
‘Literacy is fundamental for success in school and beyond. Young people who leave school without good literacy skills are held back at every stage of their lives.’ Source: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blog-what-do-we-mean-by-disciplinary-literacy
This policy reflects the requirements and expectations set out in the:
Central to our curriculum is the development of core literacy and numeracy skills, with a strong emphasis on reading as a foundational element. (See Curriculum Intent Statement for Woolston Brook School for further information).
At Woolston Brook, we aim to empower every student to become confident, capable, and independent communicators. We recognise the profound impact that strong literacy skills have on a pupil's academic success, self-esteem, and ability to navigate the world around them. Our literacy curriculum is designed to be inclusive, engaging, and responsive to the diverse needs of our learners, with a focus on developing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through personalised and adaptable approaches. We aim to foster a love of learning by providing pupils with meaningful and relevant content that connects to their lived experiences, while also ensuring that literacy is embedded across all areas of the curriculum. We strive to build pupils' confidence, resilience, and emotional intelligence, enabling them to express themselves clearly, think critically, and engage positively with others. Our intent is to equip pupils not only with the academic skills they need for future success but also with the self-awareness and emotional regulation to be active, responsible, and respectful members of society.
Our school aims to develop pupils’ skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. By the time that pupils move on from our school, our aim is for them to:
- Be able to use literacy skills to navigate real-world situations, such as reading instructions, writing personal communications, and understanding information in everyday life.
- Develop their writing skills, including grammar, vocabulary, and structure, to communicate their ideas effectively in different contexts
- Have a positive attitude towards books and reading, enjoying a wide range of texts for both pleasure and learning.
- Feel confident speaking to a range of audiences and be able to clearly explain their understanding and ideas
- Be fluent readers and writers
- Be curious and creative learners when it comes to reading and writing
Everyone at Woolston Brook School has a role to play in the development of Literacy skills.
The Headteacher is responsible for:
- Building a team of expert teachers who know and understand the processes that underpin learning to read and write
- Providing teachers with the appropriate training and resources so that they can competently deliver the English curriculum
- Creating a stimulating school environment where pupils are exposed to different types of reading material, such as through displays, books and other classroom resources
- Promoting a culture of reading for pleasure at the core of the curriculum
The Literacy Coordinator and English Lead are responsible for:
- High-quality teaching and subject knowledge of staff
- A coherently planned and sequenced English curriculum where pupils are taught to read from the beginning in reception
- A rigorous programme that includes well-conceived and structured resources for teaching phonics
- Consistent assessment and accurate teacher judgements within English and literacy
- Effective use of resources
Teachers are responsible for:
- Planning effective English and literacy lessons
- Providing opportunities for pupils to apply their English and literacy skills in a variety of ways
- Completing the relevant marking and assessment
Teaching Assistants are responsible for:
- Supporting pupils in small groups or on a one-to-one basis to reinforce literacy skills and build confidence.
- Assisting in the delivery of targeted literacy interventions for students who require additional support.
- Assist in tracking pupil progress, collecting data, and providing feedback to teachers and the Head of Subject on individual student development.
- Creating a nurturing environment in which pupils feel confident to express themselves, ask questions, and engage in literacy activities.
Pupils are responsible for:
- Actively engaging in literacy activities and making the most of the opportunities provided to improve their literacy skills.
- Pupils are encouraged to ask for help and to take part in interventions and extra literacy support sessions when needed.
- Taking responsibility for their own learning, developing strategies to improve their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
- Showing respect for others by participating in group activities, discussions, and peer feedback in a positive, respectful manner.
Phonics
At Woolston Brook, we use the Read Write Inc. Fresh Start programme, a structured phonics-based approach designed to help learners build confidence and fluency in reading and writing. Read Write Inc. Fresh Start is taught daily within our primary department, and through interventions throughout secondary as necessary. Timely and regular interventions are planned for those pupils who are working below expected levels as soon as needs are identified. The Fresh Start Programme aims to build upon pupil's speaking and listening skills as well as developing their phonics knowledge and skills. It sets out a detailed and systematic programme, for teaching phonic skills for pupils with the aim of them becoming fluent readers. Pupil progress is regularly assessed, and pupils move through the levels at their own pace. The Fresh Start Programme intends to not only provide children with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding essential for reading and writing, but also, to develop each pupil’s confidence, resilience and engagement in phonics lessons and a love for reading and writing.
Lexia
Pupils who require additional support with their literacy skills use the online Literacy Programme Lexia. The software is designed to accelerate literacy skills through a combination of personalised independent practice and teacher-led instruction.
School Library
Our school library promotes a love of reading by offering a diverse selection of books that cater to a wide range of interests and reading levels. The library provides pupils with the opportunities to explore new genres, develop their reading habits, and broaden their knowledge. Through this variety, we aim to inspire a lifelong love of reading and help students discover books that engage and challenge them.
Theme Days
As a school, we actively celebrate a variety of literacy-themed events throughout the year, such as World Book Day and National Poetry Day. Theme days provide exciting opportunities for students to engage with books and authors in creative ways. By celebrating these occasions, we aim to inspire a passion for reading and enhance pupils' literary skills.
English Curriculum
Our English curriculum is carefully planned in line with the National Curriculum. It is designed not only to suit the needs of our learners and develop their reading and writing skills, but also to help pupils maximise their assessment potential and achieve a range of qualifications. Please see Long-Term Mapping documents for more information.
The impact of our curriculum is measured by both a range of assessment procedures and how effectively our pupils develop the skills and qualities to prepare them for life beyond Woolston Brook. Our English curriculum is evaluated through a range of strategies – these mainly comprise of learning walks, lesson visits, moderation of work and data analysis. Formative assessment is continuously carried out in the delivery of the English curriculum. This includes regular ongoing observations, informal questioning, peer assessments, and self-assessments to monitor pupils' progress and understanding. Teachers use these assessments to provide immediate feedback, address misconceptions and ensure that each pupil receives the support they need. In addition to this, formal assessment tools are used to compile summative assessment data.
- Raising the profile of RWI Fresh Start across the school
- Delivering training for all staff on RWI Fresh Start
- Introducing daily novel time
- Improving the culture of reading and promoting a love of reading
