Woolston Brook School

Literacy at Woolston Brook School

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.

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 pupils’ 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 pupils’ 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 Program, 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, authors and poets 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.