Reading, Writing and Oracy

Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.

Maya Angelou

Literacy at The King John School

Reading | Writing | Oracy

At The King John School, literacy underpins everything we do. We believe that strong reading, writing and spoken communication skills are essential for academic success, personal confidence and future employment. Our whole-school literacy strategy ensures that all students, including those from vulnerable groups, are supported to become confident readers, fluent writers and articulate speakers.

Reading

“The more you read, the more you know. The more you know, the more places you’ll go.” Dr Seuss

We are committed to developing excellent readers who can access the full curriculum, enjoy reading for pleasure and make strong progress across all subjects. A culture of reading is embedded across the school and supported by high-quality teaching and targeted intervention where needed.

What we aim to achieve

All students improve their reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.
Students who are behind in reading make accelerated progress and close gaps.
Reading for pleasure is actively promoted across the school, particularly through our Tutor Reads programme in Years 7, 8, 9 and 12.
Teaching staff use reading information confidently to adapt lessons and support students.
Students experiencing vulnerability which has impacted their reading progress receive timely and effective support.

Assessment and monitoring

Students in Years 7–9 complete NGRT reading assessments.
Students whose reading age is one year or more below their chronological age are assessed termly to identify barriers and monitor progress.
Students reading at or above their chronological age are assessed in Years 7 and 9.

Reading in lessons

All teachers support reading in their subjects. This includes:

Reading texts aloud to model fluent reading
Teaching key vocabulary explicitly
Supporting understanding through structured reading strategies
Using reading data to support effective pairings and classroom practice

Curriculum reading

Students in Years 7–9 follow our Resilient Reader programme, with regular lessons using carefully selected non-fiction texts to develop vocabulary, grammar and background knowledge.
Tutor Reads runs twice weekly in Years 7, 8, 9 and 12, ensuring all students read high-quality texts together and experience reading for pleasure.
In Year 12, Tutor Reads includes non-fiction, the novel 1984 and structured discussion and debate to develop both reading and oracy.

Targeted and specialist support

Students with a reading age one year or more below their chronological age access the Lexia reading programme.
Students identified as needing additional support on entry to Year 7 begin intervention immediately.
Students with phonics gaps receive intensive support through Reading Plus using the Early Letters and Sounds intervention: a structured, phonics programme.
All reading interventions are delivered by trained staff and closely monitored, with a strong focus on our students experiencing vulnerability.

Writing

“The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.” Gustave Flaubert

We believe that fluent writing enables students to express ideas clearly, reduces cognitive load and supports success in assessments and examinations. Writing is taught and reinforced across all subjects and throughout secondary school.

Our approach to writing

Writing is a shared responsibility across the curriculum.
Clear expectations for handwriting, spelling and presentation are applied consistently.
Teachers model high-quality writing and provide opportunities for students to improve their work.
Writing support is adaptive and responsive to student need.

Supporting handwriting and spelling

All Year 7 students complete a handwriting screening (DASH) to identify any barriers to writing fluency early.
Writing practice is built into Resilient Reader lessons and adapted to support developing, fluent and supported writers.
Students who receive Reading Plus also receive targeted handwriting practice.
Spelling strategies are integrated into writing practice to support long-term retention and accuracy.

Oracy (Speaking and Listening)

“Talk is the foundation of learning; it is through talk that knowledge is shaped, tested and made durable.” Oracy principle

High-quality talk plays a vital role in learning. At The King John School, we teach students how to speak confidently, clearly and appropriately in different subjects and situations. Oracy supports understanding, memory, confidence and future employment.

Our approach to oracy

Students are taught how to speak using the language of each subject, for example how a scientist explains, a historian argues or a writer justifies ideas.
Talk is purposeful, structured and inclusive in lessons.
Discussion and explanation are used to deepen understanding and improve recall.
Students are encouraged to use ambitious vocabulary when speaking.

Inclusion and support

All Year 7 students, and any students on the SEND register, are screened using Speech Link to identify speech, language and communication needs.
Outcomes inform classroom adaptations and targeted support.
Students who need additional help are supported through scaffolding, guided practice and structured opportunities to rehearse talk.
High-attaining students are challenged through debate, leadership opportunities and promotion of subject specific terminology in lessons.

Our Literacy vision for the future

We continue to strengthen literacy across the school by:

Developing clear progression models for reading, writing and oracy
Providing ongoing staff training to support high-quality teaching
Strengthening links between literacy and future pathways
Expanding opportunities for students to read, write and speak beyond the classroom
Working closely with parents to support literacy at home

Literacy at the King John School.

Literacy underpins our core communication skills, both written and spoken, and is the key to success in any chosen life pathway. We embed literacy across all curriculum areas to equip our students with this fundamental ability in order for them to achieve their potential both in school and beyond.

Literacy

Learning Resource Centre

Our aim is to develop a lifelong love of reading in all our students by promoting reading and enjoyment in all its forms by way of a variety of Author visits and reading initiatives such as our Reading Passport, Book clubs and Bookbuzz.

King John’s Learning Resource Centre is a welcoming and peaceful place for reading, working and quiet, educational games. It provides a safe and supportive environment conducive to positive learning and also offers a well-being area for students to relax and unwind. Students also have the opportunity of becoming student librarians or volunteers where they can help with the upkeep of the LRC.

Our Learning Resource Centre supports learning and teaching across the school with access to computers, printers, books (both fiction and non-fiction), audio and Ebooks. Students are able to loan books for two weeks and text books on a termly basis.

The Learning Resource Centre is usually open to all students before and after school as well as being open at break and lunch.

ePlatform

https://thekjs.eplatform.co/

You can access eplatform from school or home on any device and listen to audio books or access digital books using your normal login and password. At school there is a link on your desktop.

Remember, please only borrow a book if you want it as we have a limited number of loans for the school. There are samples that you can listen to that will help you decide if you wish to loan it.

You can loan the book for up to two weeks and start listening immediately.

Reading Passports

Your Reading Passport is your opportunity to go on a journey of discovery, find new places and immerse yourselves in worlds and authors you had never considered looking at before. This may influence your life!

At the King John School, we want you to read… but not just anything. We feel diversity is hugely important in every aspect of your life and as such your reading should be too.

We want to challenge you to read at least 10 books by the end of the year. We want you to challenge yourself (whatever your level of reading) and read from genres you have never picked up before.

Have a look at the student book reviews to get ideas of what to read, and there will be lots of ideas in the LRC too.

How does it work?

1. You will be given a passport which will be looked after by your teacher in the LRC

2. You start reading

3. Every time you finish a text you go to one of the following places to get a stamp:

LRC
Your English teacher

4. If you read 10 books within the year, you will be given the additional reward of a badge for your blazer.

10 books – GREEN badge
20 books – BLUE badge
30 books – YELLOW badge

Reading a range of books will not only help you prepare for GCSEs and A levels, it will also give you a chance to try new things, learn new words and escape.

Literacy Leaders

Here at the King John School we like to give you opportunities to take on some responsibility. This lets us see what you are made of and you get the opportunity to shine. Becoming a Literacy Leader is one way to do this!
Literacy Leaders are selected from Years 10, 11 and 12 and work weekly with students from younger years on a literacy based activity.

Literacy Focus and Word of the Week

Every week King John will announce an area of literacy and a word that is to be used an understood as much as possible over the coming week. Try and use that area of literacy and the word as much as you can (both verbally and written) and you will get achievement points for the correct use!
Your tutors will tell you the literacy focus and word every Monday morning and it will be displayed in every classroom in the school.

Podcasts

For Students:

Circle Round This podcast takes folk tales from around the world and turns them into music-filled, high-production-value radio plays featuring big(ish)-name actors. They’re less than half an hour long and generally have some kind of moral ending with a bunch of talking points for kids and parents.

The Creeping Hour This horror anthology series (think: Tales From The Crypt, Amazing Stories or The Twilight Zone) has only just launched, but seems like an absolute go-to for fans of Goosebumps and the grislier side of everything.

The Puffin Podcast Hosted by comedian, actor, and Celebrity Gogglebox star Babatúndé Aléshé, every episode he and two Puffineers team up to take young listeners on an adventure to a magical world. They’re also joined each week by one of our awesome Puffin authors – guest appearances so far have included Greg James, Jen Carney, and Humza Arshad.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Acast | Spotify

Fun Kids Book Club is exactly what it sounds like: a fun book club podcast! Each month, the podcast releases a new children’s writer and illustrator round table and discusses kid lit. Authors read chapters from their latest work, making this both kid and adult friendly children’s literature podcast. Find it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fun-kids-book-club/id513265306?mt=2

For Parents:

READING WITH YOUR KIDS PODCAST

Want to work reading into your family’s schedule more often? The Reading With Your Kids Podcast will help you make reading with your children not a chore but a way of life. Check out the author interviews to discover new books and get ahead of the game with writers who are about to be the next big name. The podcast also focuses on specific books discussed in depth.

READ-ALOUD REVIVAL

Bring more reading into your life with Read-Aloud Revival. This children’s literature podcast is all about helping adults promote literacy at home. One of the podcast’s signature topics is sharing the benefits of reading aloud. Other episodes include kid lit writer and illustrator interviews and guides and how-to’s on topics like creating a book culture at home and finding joy in your own adult reading life. This podcast is especially good for homeschoolers, parents, librarians, and teachers.