Literacy

“Literacy is a focus for all staff…” Ofsted Report 2005

How true this is and, at Tong High School, the encouragement of high literacy standards is seen as a cross-curricular issue and not as the prerogative of one subject area or of one group of teachers.  Our aims are:

• to raise literacy levels across the curriculum by employing a range of relevant and inspiring strategies that will enable students to access the curriculum with increasing confidence
• to increase motivation and enthusiasm by providing challenging programmes of study, differentiated to meet the requirements of a wide ability range
• to produce exciting, interesting, well paced lessons that provide for the different learning styles
• to provide INSET that is relevant, up to date and meaningful
• to provide continuity across the curriculum

Strategies currently in place:

A Literacy Co-ordinator is employed to lead in the development of literacy across the curriculum.  The following activities are currently in place:

• The school’s Director of Reading Activities(DORA) works with approximately 110 students from across the curriculum on a one to one basis.  Here, in the safety of the Learning Enhancement Area, students, identified as needing extra coaching, improve their reading skills, develop a love of literature, increase in self confidence and are inevitably better equipped to deal with the many challenges that lessons present.

In addition to this excellent provision, all Teaching Assistants are involved in Paired Reading which takes place every morning.  DORA is responsible for providing timetables and monitoring the progress that students make.

• A Literacy Coach is employed to help students improve their writing skills.  Currently, she is working with 98 Yr8 students – all achieving a National Curriculum Level of 3c-4a.  The Writing Challenge forms the basis of a ten week programme of study although it is adapted slightly to meet the particular needs of our students.  Again, in the rich environment of the Learning Enhancement Area, students are taught how to improve their writing skills. The Literacy Coach also works with Curriculum Leaders, providing excellent resources that engage the interest of our students as well as leading in the development of writing skills across the curriculum.

• EMA – An EMA Co-ordinator is employed to work with 20% of our school population.  Three exciting projects are currently in place, each aimed at enabling students to access the curriculum and develop further an understanding and appreciation of different cultural values:
  • 12 new to English/extended stay students are being targeted by EMA support staff in order to help them access the curriculum with increased confidence.
  • 24 students are enjoying the benefits of the MEAP Project and are improving their literacy levels by taking part in well planned, enjoyable and dynamic literacy activities. These young people benefit from the expert guidance of skilled literacy coaches who assist in helping students identify strengths, and provide support when setting achievable targets for improvement. Several students work with DORA at improving their reading skills, and all are working with the Writing Coach on a tightly structured programme of study.
  • 10 of our African Caribbean students are taking part in a 10 week ICT course, organised by Education Bradford and hosted by Bradford University.

• A Literacy Strategy Group is in place and members meet on a regular basis in order to promote literacy across the curriculum. Members include the Literacy Co-ordinator, Foundation Manager, EMA Co-ordinator, DORA, The Writing Coach and The Learning Area Assistant.  The team works closely with Curriculum Leaders in order to develop challenging departmental action plans. The group, all experienced in improving literacy standards, devise challenging projects that benefit both students and staff.  Currently, the team is working on a weekly Literacy Focus which will be issued across school.  Each week, every teacher/support teacher will make sure that the weekly focus is included in their lessons. Repetition of the focus will ensure learning.

• Staff INSET provides excellent opportunities for exciting workshops and lectures from some of the most outstanding leaders in the field.  In October, Ros Wilson, an independent Literacy Consultant, provided training on how students can improve their writing skills using her strategy, VCOP (vocabulary, connectives, openers, punctuation). This was quickly followed by training on Marking Using the Criterion Scale. Her humorous approach to such an important issue, won the respect of the staff, all of whom now use VCOP in all lessons that involve extended writing. Every student has a VCOP booklet that can be used when taking part in a writing activity and, thanks to the work of Laura McGuigan, all have a colourful Literacy Punctuation Mat which outlines how to improve their writing level.

• Following on from the initial training given by Ros Wilson, Tong High School is involved in two very exciting projects aimed at improving writing across the curriculum.  The first project has introduced staff to the different features of specific non-fiction text types.  Every department has examined the characteristics of an Instructional Text and devised three exciting lessons, each of which will be taught to Yr8 students. Each piece of work will be marked and assessed using the Criterion Scale. The aim is that each piece will show progression.  The results will be published in Ros Wilson’s book later in the year.

• The second is a Transition Project.  With the support of our feeder schools, all Yr6 SATs papers have been gathered and form the basis of a research project aimed at identifying whether the Summer Dip really does exist.  It should also indicate whether Primary levels for writing differ from Secondary levels, as well as revealing the excellent teaching at Tong High School when National Curriculum levels improve.

• Always eager to encourage reading, Tong has introduced an Achievement in Reading Homework Project.  Parents share the responsibility of encouraging their children to read more.  Each child chooses a book and reads at home for a minimum of fifteen minutes per night, twice a week.  They take home a Log Book which parents sign when a book is completed.  Each completed book earns students a sticker on their Achievement Sheet (kept in school).  Ten stickers earn a Bronze Certificate, twenty a Silver and thirty a Gold. All these achievements are celebrated in school.

• Word Play – To begin to comply with the OFSTED recommendation to “Reinforce the drive to improve standards of literacy through a clearly structured, flexible course designed to improve reading, speaking and writing.” Tong has introduced a Word Play course aimed specifically at improving literacy levels.  Once a week, all Yr7 students attend their Word Play classes.  Four courses are provided and pupils attend these on a Rota basis.  The courses are: Improving Spelling, Improving Handwriting, Developing Writing at Sentence Level and finally a G/T course aimed at Developing Writing Standards.

• Words of the Week – Striving to encourage improved vocabulary is essential.  At Tong, we have a weekly Words of the Week Competition.  Each week, students are given a word, phrase or group of letters and, out of these, they then have to make as many words as possible. Entries are placed in a box in the Learning Area where they are rigorously checked.  Mrs O’Reilly sends for the winner and issues them with a gift voucher.  Boys, being competitive, enter with great enthusiasm.

• Working closely with our SENCO and Lead Teaching Assistant, courses are provided to help pupils develop their reading and writing levels.  Members of staff are trained in OILS, an IT programme specifically devised to assist in the development of literacy.  Again, using ICT as a tool for learning has proved very successful.