At Nancledra School, English sits at the heart of our curriculum. We believe that strong literacy skills open doors for children—academically, socially, and in their future lives. Our aim is for every child to become a confident, capable reader, writer, speaker, and listener, equipped with the language skills they need to thrive.

English is taught daily as a discrete subject, but it also underpins learning across the whole curriculum. High‑quality texts, rich vocabulary, and meaningful opportunities for communication are woven through every subject. We set high expectations for all pupils and provide expert, explicit teaching to help them develop the skills to:

• read with understanding and insight
• write for a range of purposes and audiences
• speak clearly and confidently
• listen attentively and respond thoughtfully

By building these foundations, we ensure that every child can access the full curriculum and step confidently into the opportunities ahead of them.

Our Approach: The Literacy Tree

Nancledra School follows the Literacy Tree, a high‑quality, book‑based approach to teaching reading and writing. This framework uses carefully chosen, diverse, and engaging texts as the starting point for learning. Through these texts, children explore language, structure, themes, and ideas, while developing the skills needed to become thoughtful readers and effective writers.

The Literacy Tree approach:

• places real, high‑quality children’s literature at the centre of learning
• provides clear progression in writing skills from Reception to Year 6
• embeds grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary teaching within meaningful contexts
• supports children to write with purpose—whether to entertain, inform, persuade, or explain
• encourages creativity, critical thinking, and a love of reading

This consistent, research‑informed approach ensures that all children experience a rich, coherent English curriculum that builds year on year.