Literacy and English

Language and literacy are of personal, social and economic importance.  Our ability to use language lies at the centre of the development and expression of our emotions, our thinking, our learning and our sense of personal identity.

The organisers within the literacy framework are:

·       listening and talking

·       reading

·       writing

The initial approach to learning to read is varied so as to give every child the best possible start. Our core materials are Oxford Reading Tree and Think About It. New parents are given an opportunity to view the resources during the induction days. The Head Teacher and staff explain to parents the materials used and the help they can give at home as their child prepares to read.

In the middle and upper stages the pupils move on to Kingscourt Literacy Links Plus, which is made up of graded novels to provide a more integrated approach to language. There is also a very good selection of supplementary resources. The use of ‘real books’ is supported by a well stocked library. The children are encouraged to develop library skills for life-long learning.

The writing stimulus in the early years is developed through the Big Writing programme and Routes to Writing.   This is extended in the middle school and the philosophy continues throughout the school.  This provides a structured and cohesive basis for the learning and teaching of writing skills. The skills of reading and writing are interdependent and supported by a range of listening and talking activities.