Literacy Coordinator: Miss R Beckett
Parkhall Integrated College hold literacy at the centre of our curriculum, we believe that embedding strong and explicitly taught literacy practices will support all areas of the curriculum and raise standards across all key stages.
We explore all three areas of literacy, supporting our student’s writing skills through our “Every Sentence a Good Sentence” initiative, promoting reading through guided support and events and oracy through dedicated school events and focused lessons. Our vision is to improve literacy for all students in an effective and supportive manner.
We provide one-to-one and small group literacy support with Mrs M McCabe, and a team of Learning Support Assistants. Our goal is to help each student work towards fulfilling their full potential.
Book Buddies – Sixth form literacy mentors complete a paired reading programme with selected students. Each literacy mentor completes a reading record with each student and the student’s reading age is tested again at the end of this termly programme.
One to One Support: Mrs McCabe and a team of LSAs work with identified students to develop their literacy and oracy across the curriculum.
Literacy Events – Across the academic year we run events focused on reading and expanding what our students engage with and encouraging them to expand their experiences. These include Roald Dahl Day, The Shakespeare Trail, National Poetry Day and World Book Day, to name just a few.
Creative Writing Club – Miss Bowden runs a creative writing club during lunch each week. This club allows students to meet in a creative and inspiring environment where they can let their imaginations run wild on the page.
Creative Writing Competitions – We love having the competitive edge in Parkhall Integrated College and that even comes into our creative writing. Across the year students have the opportunity to enter a range of creative writing, poetry and even non-fiction writing competitions. This has resulted in over 300 of our students from a range of classes and year groups being published.
Charity Readathons: We hold two readathons across the school year. First Read for Good with year 8 students, which helps to supply books to children undergoing treatment in hospital. Then in the summer term we support the Cancer Fund for Children through their readathon, Read On, across all key stage 3 students.
Bridge: At Key Stage 5 we welcome to school the Royal Literary Fund, who send a dedicated mentor to run a full day workshop with Sixth Form students teaching them the vital skills needed to write in an academic style. Thus, improving their assignments, exam responses and university applications.
