Literacy

At Staughton College we strongly believe that literacy and numeracy are the gateways to learning success, and therefore these are a whole school priority.  All teachers are trained to deliver proven, effective literacy and numeracy strategies in every subject, taking responsibility for the progress of their pupils in these critical areas.

Literacy is the foundation of many of the tasks that we engage in on a daily basis. It enables us to read, understand what we are reading, develop vocabulary to engage in the world and to be able to interpret and analyse a variety of texts. To support students to enhance their literacy skills, Staughton College has been working on a range of classroom strategies to improve student skill development.

Reading

At Staughton College, we endeavour to foster a lifelong love of reading in our students. We give students as many opportunities as possible to pick up a book and get lost in it! Student leaders regularly visit classes to promote their favourite reads, plus we have a growing Instagram following at @StaughtonReads. The library is also expanding its range of books to include content that suits all interests and reading levels, and students are encouraged to pop in and see what’s new on our shelves.

In class, Staughton College runs Tutorial Groups every day before recess.  These sessions are dedicated to independent reading, during which time students are able to enjoy ‘Just Right’ books of their own choosing.  It is during these classes that teachers conference and help students to achieve their reading goals.

During English lessons, ten minutes of reading begins every class in Years 7-9, and a further 20 minutes of reading homework is set following these lessons. For this reason, students need to ensure that they have their ‘Just Right Texts’ at school daily. Reading conferences between students and teachers are conducted in English to ensure students understand what they read and are developing their vocabulary. Teachers also explicitly teach the comprehension strategies to support students to be able to monitor their reading and comprehension.

Writing

Writing is a way to learn. When students write, they generate deeper thinking in any content area – and the more they write, the more confident they become. Staughton College’s Literacy Improvement Team has taken the research behind these ideas and developed a new focus on writing for 2019 and beyond. The writing process is supported within all classes to develop student ideas and structure within their pieces.  Curriculum is being redesigned to offer opportunities for writing in every lesson, and the Staughton Vocabulary Process is helping our students extend their ability to write for a range of purposes. By placing writing at the centre of learning from Year 7 onwards, we are giving our students the literacy skills they need to succeed.

Literacy and Numeracy Assessment

All students across Years 7 – 10 are involved in a regular program of Literacy and Numeracy Assessment. The purpose of the assessment program is to track student progress throughout the year and to use the data to work with individual students around goal setting and learning strategies for success.