Literacy

Reading, Writing & Spelling: Opening Doors for Every Child 

At our school, reading is explicitly taught using the science of reading decades of research on how children learn best. Our goal is simple: every child reads confidently, understands deeply, and develops a lifelong love of reading.

We teach the evidence-based Five Pillars of Reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Together, these skills help students move from decoding words to understanding rich and complex texts.

Our teachers use Structured Literacy, guided by the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope. Lessons are explicit, systematic, and responsive to each child’s needs, ensuring they master sounds, letters, words, and sentence structures.

We also use a Multisensory Structured Language approach, students see, hear, say, and write which is strengthening memory, confidence, and understanding. A strong focus on fluency helps students read smoothly and with expression, allowing them to focus on meaning rather than decoding.

Research shows early, targeted instruction prevents most reading difficulties. By building strong skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension, we lay the foundation for future academic success.

Reading opens doors. By combining research backed methods with engaging, multisensory instruction, we give every child the gift of a literate life, opening doors that last a lifetime. 

At our school, writing is taught explicitly and systematically, giving every child the skills and confidence to communicate clearly and effectively. We focus on building strong foundations in sentence structure, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary so students understand how written language works.

Teachers explicitly teach and model each step of the writing process; from planning and drafting to revising and editing. Students learn that writing is a skill developed through clear instruction, practice, and feedback. We teach how sounds, words, and sentence structures connect, helping students write with accuracy and purpose. Vocabulary and background knowledge play a key role, enabling students to express complex ideas and write with depth. 

Teachers explicitly teach and model each step of the writing process from planning and drafting to revising and editing using evidence-based practices. Research shows that handwriting instruction improves not just legibility but the quality and fluency of students’ writing, freeing cognitive resources so they can focus more on ideas and expression. Regular, explicit handwriting teaching also builds automatic letter formation, helping students record their thoughts more efficiently and confidently. 

Spelling Mastery is the structured spelling program we use in Grades 3–6 to help students develop strong, reliable spelling skills, this compliments our MSL instruction in Years Prep-2. It provides explicit, systematic instruction, moving from sounds and letter patterns to meaningful word parts and whole-word strategies. Students learn how and why words are spelled the way they are, rather than relying on memorisation alone. Lessons are carefully sequenced, allowing students to progress with confidence as they master foundational skills and apply them in reading and writing. This evidence-based approach helps students become accurate, independent spellers who understand the structure of the English language.

Kate & Sophie

Literacy Leaders