Foundational Literacy

Foundational literacy (reading, handwriting, writing and oracy) is the base on which all learning is built. Pupils who read, write and speak with confidence can access every subject and flourish, and giving every child the gift of language is central to our Catholic mission.

We follow the Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust's Foundational Literacy Framework, alongside our own school literacy strategy, which shows how we put it into practice at Sacred Heart.

Foundational Literacy Framework 2026-27

Reading

Reading unlocks every subject. We focus on decoding (reading words accurately), fluency (reading with pace and expression) and comprehension (understanding what has been read).

Knowing every reader

Pupils sit a standardised reading assessment when they join in Year 7 and every year after. Each pupil is given a reading colour band, shared with teachers and parents:

• Red: significant difficulty, with immediate support and progress checked every six weeks

• Amber: below the expected level, with targeted support checked each term

• Green: at or close to the expected level

• Purple: above the expected level, with extra challenge

Extra support

Pupils who need help receive targeted support, which may include Lexonik Leap (phonics), Better Reading, our Reading Development Programme or Reading Plus, an online programme used in school and at home. Our Reading Lead and SENDCo monitor progress closely. Parents are told their child's reading age, kept updated on any support, and sent reading tips through ParentMail.

Form time reading

Form tutors read whole novels aloud to their groups, modelling expert reading and building pupils' fluency and stamina. The books are chosen to inspire a love of reading, support personal development and widen pupils' knowledge of the world. Between novels, pupils read speeches, extracts and non-fiction using reciprocal reading (predicting, questioning, clarifying and summarising). Coloured reading rulers help pupils follow the text.

 Form Time Reading Curriculum 2026-27

Reading for pleasure

Every pupil carries a reading book, and every classroom has dictionaries and a subject library. We celebrate reading through our library, book clubs and events such as World Book Day, National Poetry Day, Roald Dahl Day and Dictionary Day, and our Reading Ambassadors work with partner primary schools.

Recommended reading lists

Year 7   ·   Year 8   ·   Year 9   ·   All KS3

Supporting reading at home

Ask about the book your child is reading, keep books and magazines around the house, encourage audiobooks, and let them see you reading. These sites can help:

• 9 Ways to Get Teens Reading: practical tips for reluctant readers

• Join Sefton Libraries: free membership, including e-books and audiobooks

• Reading Well for Teens: free library books supporting wellbeing

• The Carnegies: the UK's top awards for children's and young adult books

Handwriting

Fluent, legible handwriting lets pupils focus on their ideas rather than forming letters. We check handwriting in Year 7, and pupils for whom it is a barrier receive support to build speed and fluency. Where appropriate, alternatives such as touch-typing are considered.

Writing

Writing helps pupils understand what they learn more deeply, and every teacher is a teacher of writing. All Year 7 pupils complete a writing assessment in their first half term, with extra support for those who need it. Across the school, teachers:

1. Build background knowledge

2. Teach vocabulary explicitly

3. Model writing in front of pupils

4. Craft great sentences

5. Plan, draft and revise

6. Teach the writing of each subject

7. Give meaningful, manageable feedback

Oracy

Before pupils can write an argument, they need to be able to say one. We develop four areas of oracy:

• Physical: voice, pace, clarity and eye contact

• Linguistic: choosing the right words and tone

• Cognitive: reasoning and using evidence

• Social and emotional: listening and responding respectfully

Every classroom has ground rules for talk, and teachers use paired discussion and sentence starters so every pupil contributes. We also support pupils with speech and language needs and those learning English as an additional language.