Learning & Teaching

Explicit Teaching Explained

At Holy Cross, we use explicit teaching in many of our core subjects, including English and Maths. Explicit teaching is an evidence-based approach grounded in the science of how people learn best. It involves clear, structured instruction that supports children's understanding and skill development. The video below, hosted by Dr. Nathaniel Swain, who our staff have begun consulting with, provides a detailed explanation of the explicit teaching model.

Supporting Literacy Learning with MiniLit and MacqLit

At Holy Cross, we provide targeted literacy interventions to support children who need extra help developing their reading skills. Two key interventions we use are MiniLit and MacqLit, both designed to address specific reading challenges in different age groups.

MiniLit  is tailored for Year 1 and 2 children who require additional support in decoding skills. The program is delivered in small groups of up to four children, multiple times a week. It also aligns with the science of reading research and is an evidence-based, effective approach to reading instruction.

For older children from Year 3 to Year 6 who find word recognition and reading fluency challenging, MacqLit is a systematic, explicit intervention that targets children's reading accuracy. Also delivered in small groups, multiple times per week, MacqLit is supplemented by one-to-one reading practice. This intervention focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency, giving older children the tools they need to improve their reading abilities.

Both programs are delivered by trained education staff and provide children with the opportunity to improve their literacy skills.

Maths Tutor Group at Holy Cross

At Holy Cross, we understand that some children find certain areas of mathematics challenging to grasp, apply, and transfer into different contexts. That’s why we offer our Maths Tutor Group program, a targeted intervention designed to provide additional support and revision for children who need help strengthening their mathematical understanding.

The Maths Tutor Group runs every week and is carefully planned by our Mathematics Leader, using each child’s assessment data to target their specific learning needs. This approach ensures that every session is relevant and focused on areas where children need the most support.

A qualified teacher facilitates each session, offering tailored guidance to the children, modelling problem-solving strategies, and providing feedback throughout the session. This hands-on support helps children build their confidence and improve their conceptual understanding of mathematics.

Each week, the children's progress and results are reviewed in conjunction with the Tutor Group teacher’s feedback, allowing us to adjust and forward-plan the sessions to continually meet the children's evolving needs. At the end of each 10-week cycle, families are updated on their child's progress, ensuring transparent communication and collaboration.

The Maths Tutor Group provides individualised attention and reinforces important mathematical concepts, giving children the support they need to achieve their maths goals.