“The limits of my language means the limits of my world.” Wittgenstein.
At Bishop Stopford School, our Intent is that all students’ basic skills are secured, and that we develop highly literate learners. We are also guided by the aims of the National Curriculum: literacy is an essential, core activity which is explicitly promoted, supported and developed. To achieve this, students should:
- read easily, fluently and with good understanding;
- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information;
- acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language;
- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage;
- write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences;
- use discussion in order to learn and be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas.
We use a range of strategies to meet the National Curriculum aims and we make the following provisions:
- Accelerated Reader programme (Year 7 and 8)
- Bedrock Learning (vocabulary curriculum Year 7 and 8)
- Dedicated Library lessons (Year 7)
- Bespoke reading activities in each subject area (Key Stage 3)
- Reading activities in wider school life (e.g. ERIC - Everyone Reading in Class, Author visits, Sponsored Readathons, Book Week, associated competitions)
- Reading Partners (Sixth form mentors engage in 1:1 reading with Year 7 and 8)
Next Stage Ready: a range of literacy support strategies to ensure that no student is left behind. (e.g. Units of Sound, SAM Learning, 1:1 Tuition)
Literacy Lead
"Spoken language forms a constraint, a ceiling not only on the ability to comprehend, but also on the ability to write, beyond which literacy cannot progress". Myhill and Fisher.