Literacy: Reading and Oracy

The aim of the Literacy team at John Hanson is:

• Empower all our students to read and write confidently;
• Raise expectations and treat all our students as individuals;
• Promote equality and challenge stereotypes;
• Support students to progress studies through their reading;
• Develop and design curriculum provision that allows practise at reading, writing and talk;
• Provide opportunities for students to read throughout the school.

In particular, in 2021-22 the whole school will continue to focus on Reading, as well as Exam Literacy.  We have chosen these as GCSEs are constantly providing greater challenge to students with regards to reading speed, and we believe that fostering a passion for reading is at the crux of student success.

We do this through:

• Tutor time: in every year group we follow a weekly program of Reading activities where students practice their reading comprehension, and raise both their level of reading as well as their reading speed, through engaging with topical articles, short stories and both fiction and non-fiction books.
• The Big Write: our annual writing competition that ensures all pupils have the opportunity to complete an extended piece of writing on a theme that inspires them.
• Year 6 into 7: We also like to start early, so every Year 6 student who has chosen John Hanson Community School, is given a copy of a book.  This year we’ve gone for ‘Dare to be you' by Matthew Syed.  This is text that we use with them in Year 7 during Literacy at tutor time and in their first PSHE day to teach them about understanding difference and to embrace change.
• Regular literacy updates on our Instagram page (jhcs_literacy) & book reviews in our newsletter
• Word of the week
• Year 7 – Aim higher book club

Every year we: 

• Celebrate World Book Day and other national literacy events.