Literacy — WCSA

Literacy is a fundamental life skill: it is the key that can open up the doors of opportunity for our students and this is why we strive to promote, support and develop high levels of literacy for all of our students in all aspects of their educational experience here at WCSA. To assist with this, we have adopted the five-point WRITE principal.

Writing accurately is the first strand of our WRITE principal. Our aim is to support all students to be able to express their ideas clearly, fluently and accurately within their own writing.

We understand that people often struggle with the technical details of their writing; if this isn't correct, the whole meaning of writing can be lost. To assist students with this, the following resources, complete with answer sheets for self-checking, might be useful:

(Please move Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar resource links from bottom of the page – please have displayed in three columns side by side.)

Here at Worle Community School Academy we highly value the importance of reading and aim to encourage all of our students to read for pleasure, both inside and outside of the classroom.

Reading for pleasure is a personally enriching activity; it is not only academically boosting, but is fundamentally an essential future life skill. Reading for pleasure allows our students to develop as independent learners, assisting them in creating a deeper and more empathetic understanding of the world around them. Perhaps most importantly of all is the lifelong love of reading which we strive to nurture with all of our students.

This is why we have put reading at the forefront of the school day with the Tutor Reading Programme, as well as providing a range of opportunities and resources for our students to get involved with to experience the simple joy of reading.

Reading for pleasure Ethos

Encouraging reading at home

Books and Biscuits

Reading awards group

Reading Lists

KS3 Reading List

KS4 Reading List

Tutor Reading Programme

At Worle Community School Academy we have revolutionised the way we start our day with our Tutor Time Reading Programme for all students in years 7-10. From the moment they enter their tutor base, students are immersed in the world of Literature and reading. Our reasoning behind this is simple: “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader” (Margaret Fuller).

For more information about our Tutor Reading Programme, please select the link below:

Tutor reading programme

What is on our bookshelves?

The following titles have been selected as appropriate for each year group. Please feel free to research these titles further so that you are aware of any questions or discussion points which might develop out of reading these texts.

The third strand of our WRITE strategy involves boosting students’ vocabulary, both with subject specific vocabulary (Tier 3) and more sophisticated vocabulary which can be used to better express their ideas (Tier 2). By giving our students the best possible understanding of vocabulary, as well as the tools to decipher new and unfamiliar words, we are providing them with the confidence to tackle any text that they may encounter in future life.

To support students with building and decoding vocabulary, you may wish to encourage them to try one or more of the Hi-5 strategies below.

Developing good literacy also means that we are enabling them to speak confidently, expressing their ideas with clarity and confidence.

To enable this, as a school we consistently adhere to the practice of ‘Think-Pair-Share’ across all of our subjects; this is a strategy allowing students to use peer talk to develop their ideas fully before they are called upon to share their ideas with the class. By questioning, challenging and extending their ideas prior to them having to share them with the class, students are able to develop critical thinking skills, building a deeper understanding of the topics being covered. Combined with this, the process of ‘Cold Calling’, whereby any student can be called upon to answer any question at any time, ensures that all students are actively engaged and participating in discussions, constantly readying themselves for the moment that they are called upon to share their brilliant ideas.