Literacy at Oaklands school

Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and listen in ways that enable us to communicate effectively and understand the world around us. Strong literacy skills are essential for success in education, employment and everyday life. As Sir Kevan Collins, former Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, stated: “Literacy is fundamental for success in school and beyond. Young people who leave school without good literacy skills are held back at every stage of their lives.”

At Oaklands, we are committed to ensuring that every student leaves school as a confident, articulate and independent young person, fully prepared to contribute positively to society. We want our students to be well informed, thoughtful communicators who possess the essential skills needed to lead meaningful and successful lives. We recognise that strong literacy skills can significantly improve life chances, raising self-esteem, increasing motivation and supporting positive behaviour across all areas of school life.

Literacy is a whole-school priority and is developed across every subject area. Reading, writing, speaking and vocabulary are explicitly taught in lessons so that students can access the curriculum successfully and communicate their ideas with confidence. Staff across the school work together to promote high standards of literacy and to support students in becoming effective, independent learners.

Literacy Assessment

At the start of each academic year, all students in Years 7 to 10 complete an online literacy assessment which provides an indication of their reading age. This information helps teachers plan appropriate support, adapt classroom materials and ensure that learning is accessible to all students. Students whose reading age is significantly below their chronological age may receive targeted intervention to help accelerate progress.

Targeted Literacy Support

Oaklands offers a range of evidence-informed literacy interventions designed to meet individual student needs.

The Oaklands Reading Programme is a structured, evidence-based, one-to-one intervention that develops spelling, word recognition, reading fluency, comprehension and writing skills. Students revisit previously learned words, practise new vocabulary, improve reading speed and accuracy, and discuss the meaning of texts. They are also supported to apply new vocabulary in their own writing.

Paired Reading provides short, focused reading sessions with a trained adult. Students read carefully selected texts aloud, receive immediate feedback, answer comprehension questions and practise using new vocabulary in their own sentences. This helps to build confidence, accuracy and enjoyment of reading.

Fluency Lessons are designed for small groups of Key Stage 3 students who can decode words but need further support with pace, expression, rhythm and understanding. Using curriculum texts from subjects such as English or History, students practise reading aloud together, discuss vocabulary and develop comprehension skills. These sessions help students access learning more confidently in mainstream lessons.

Promoting a Love of Reading

We believe that reading for pleasure plays a vital role in developing literacy. Students can take part in a range of enrichment opportunities including Book Club, reading competitions and our weekly Word of the Week, which helps to broaden vocabulary and encourage curiosity about language.

Our library is at the heart of the school’s literacy culture. It is supported by a dedicated team of student librarians who help promote reading, organise events and keep the library welcoming and well stocked. We encourage all students to make regular use of the library and to develop lifelong reading habits.