Literacy

High standards of literacy are essential to academic success and life beyond school. At Dame Elizabeth Cadbury, literacy is embedded across the curriculum so pupils develop literacy skills within the context of each subject. This prepares them for higher education and allows them to appreciate and become proficient in the skills needed to think, speak and write academically across all of their subjects.

In addition to this, pupils follow a weekly form time literacy programme in which they read a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, developing their appreciation of different types of literature. Sometimes this is a full text, at other times this may be extract-based, allowing a focus on vocabulary development, spelling and grammar.

We also use a program called ‘Bedrock’, which is set twice weekly, as homework. This online learning focuses on reading short extracts, and the development of vocabulary. As a pupil here you will receive your own log-in, parents can also have access to the program, so that it is easy to track your child's progress and so you can further support your child at home. In addition to this, we expect all pupils to read for 20 minutes per day and to complete their daily reading log. We have a range of fantastic titles in our library, which we regularly invest in to ensure our pupils read widely and often.

We host reading and literacy events throughout the school year, ranging from competitions, book fayres, library events, theatre performances and guest authors. We also have Reading Ambassadors which you can read more about in the school leadership section.

Numeracy

Numeracy takes place during morning form time every Friday for years 7-9 (with revision guidance provided for Year 10 & 11).

The idea is that it allows the students time to practise the basic skills that they require at GCSE in a range of subjects, and for life beyond school.

How does it look for year 7?

  • Half Term 1 - Tricky Tables
  • Half Term 2 - Times Table Challenge
  • Half Term 3 - Divison Facts
  • Half Term 4 - Division Challenge
  • Half Term 5 - Negative Numbers
  • Half Term 6 - Types of Number

We also run a weekly problem-solving competition and a twice-weekly Homeworld Club providing specialist support from our student numeracy ambassadors.