Total Education

In the Pre Prep Department, pupils are taught to read and write through the very successful Read Write Inc. scheme.  Cursive handwriting is taught from Year 1 and is continued throughout the school to Year 8.  The children have access to the Pre Prep library which houses a varied selection of fiction and non-fiction books.

Pupils in the Junior Prep follow the National Literacy Scheme which covers a range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

Spellings in Pre Prep are based on the Read Write Inc workbooks and follow the 'Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check' method. Pupils in Year 3 have ten minutes focused spelling work every day following the Read Write Inc spelling books for Key Stage 2. Spellings in Years 3-6 are taken from the GL Assessment Lists. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 practise and reinforce spelling patterns such as prefixes and suffixes and pupils are encouraged to keep a log of personal spellings and new vocabulary.

11+ practice papers are introduced in the Summer Term of Year 5 to begin the preparation for 11+ examinations in the following year.

Pupils in Year 6 follow the National Literacy Scheme and the 11+ English Syllabus published by the Independent Schools Examination Board (ISEB).  Pupils undertake intensive preparation for the 11+ examination and practise comprehension techniques, planning methods and writing for different audiences.  Writing in a set time is also practised in order to prepare pupils for examination papers set by senior schools.

In Years 7 and 8, pupils are prepared thoroughly for the demands of the forthcoming examinations.  They focus on the 13+ ISEB syllabus for Common Entrance with the incorporation into their learning of aspects of Key Stage 3.

By the end of Year 8, the majority of pupils sit Level 2 Common Entrance English and have developed skills in skimming and scanning, annotating, planning, writing a literacy essay and writing creatively.  Senior pupils are given also librarian posts.

All pupils have access to a wide variety of books in the Library and each year all are involved in Poetry Writing for National Poetry Day and take part in the House Poetry Competition.

Jackie Campbell-John, Head of English and Drama

jackie.campbell-john@barrowhills.org.uk