Literacy

The Curriculum Leader may be contacted via email enquiries@copthall.barnet.sch.uk

Literacy is a key focus at Copthall School and students are expected to engage with literacy at all levels.

We place a strong emphasis on developing students’ reading skills, in order to increase both their confidence and the range of their reading. 

In addition to this, we aim to develop students’ communication skills, with a particular emphasis on functional writing, in order to ensure that all students can communicate confidently and competently. These skills will not only prepare them for their public examinations, but also their further education and their future careers.

To this end, Literacy is embedded into teaching across the curriculum at all key stages. Subject areas provide lists of subject-specific terminology, teach key vocabulary, and utilise reading strategies in lessons to support all learners.

In Years 7 and 8, the Accelerated Reader programme is used to support and monitor students’ progress with reading. Library lessons take place once a fortnight, where students have the opportunity to engage with class readers and personal reading books. Once a week form time is also given over to silent reading. Through Accelerated Reader, students take quizzes after each book they finish, and are rewarded for regular reading through the fortnightly Reader board. Students who require additional support with their reading can be entered into Reading Catch-Up or paired with a mentor.

Students in Year 9 are also given the opportunity for timetabled lessons in the library, in order to continue to improve their reading skills and engagement with literature. In these lessons, students read a range of interesting short stories, alongside their own reading books.

In Year 7, Literacy is taught explicitly through a timetabled fortnightly lesson, which is designed teach and revise the mechanics of written communication. Within Literacy lessons, there is a clear focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar to enable all students to be clear and confident communicators. This supplements grammar content covered in English lessons.

Additional literacy support and intervention is also provided to students with Special Educational Needs, as required.