At Hackleton CEVA Primary School, we believe that developing strong literacy skills is essential for pupils’ success in school and in later life. Our curriculum is carefully designed to be ambitious, inclusive and sequenced to build strong foundations from the earliest stages, ensuring every child becomes a confident communicator, reader and writer.
We prioritise the development of spoken language, reading and writing, recognising that these areas are closely connected. Through high-quality teaching and carefully planned progression, pupils build the knowledge and skills they need to succeed across the curriculum.
Reading
At Hackleton, we believe that reading is one of the most important skills a child can develop. It underpins all areas of learning and opens the door to new knowledge, ideas and experiences. Through reading, children develop their vocabulary, knowledge of the world and understanding of different cultures, supporting both their academic success and personal development. Our aim is to ensure that children move swiftly from learning to read to reading to learn, fostering a lifelong love of books.
Our approach
Reading is taught through a structured and engaging approach across the school. From the earliest stages, we prioritise the development of strong foundations through daily phonics teaching using the Sounds-Write programme. Pupils are taught to decode words accurately and build fluency, enabling them to become confident, independent readers.
Children take home a carefully matched decodable book to practise their reading skills, alongside a reading for pleasure book to promote a love of stories, authors and a wider range of vocabulary.
As pupils move through the school, they continue to develop their fluency, comprehension and enjoyment of reading through shared reading, guided reading, independent reading and regular exposure to high-quality texts.
From Year 2 onwards, pupils are supported through the Accelerated Reader programme. This enables children to choose books matched to their ability and interests, and to demonstrate their understanding through short quizzes.
Assessment and support
Reading is regularly assessed to ensure pupils are making progress and receiving the support they need. Teachers use assessment to adapt teaching and provide targeted support.
Supporting reading at home
We recognise the vital role that parents and carers play in supporting reading. We encourage families to:
- listen to their child read regularly
- share and enjoy books together
- discuss stories, characters and new vocabulary
- support the use of Accelerated Reader and Home Connect to monitor progress
To log in to Home Connect Website please use this link Home Connect
You can also visit the AR BookFinder™ at www.arbookfind.co.uk to conduct a search of all available books with AR quizzes.
| Title | Download |
|---|---|
| pdf Guide to Accelerated Reader | Download |
| pdf Reading booklet for parents | Download |
Spelling
At Hackleton, we place great importance on developing confident, accurate spellers. We believe that strong spelling underpins successful writing and supports pupils to express their ideas clearly across the curriculum.
Spelling is taught explicitly and systematically throughout Key Stage 2. Building on the strong phonics foundations established in Early Years and Key Stage 1 through our Sounds-Write programme, pupils continue to develop their understanding of how words work—exploring sounds, patterns, word structures and meaning.
Our approach
Spelling is taught in short, focused sessions four times a week. Each week, pupils learn a set of carefully chosen words linked by a common spelling pattern, sound or word type.
Strategies include:
- breaking words into syllables
- identifying sounds and spelling patterns
- exploring word meaning and origins
- using a clear “spelling voice”
Assessment and support
Weekly spelling checks help identify progress and next steps. Errors are used positively to inform teaching and support.
Supporting spelling at home
Spellings are taught in school to ensure all children have equal opportunities to succeed. Weekly word lists are shared with families, and pupils can practise at home using resources such as Spelling Shed, which makes learning engaging and interactive.
Parents and carers can help by:
- practising spellings little and often
- encouraging children to say sounds as they write
- discussing spelling patterns and rules
- using online tools such as Spelling Shed
- celebrating effort and progress
Handwriting
At Hackleton, we believe that clear, fluent handwriting supports pupils to communicate their ideas confidently. We aim for all pupils to develop a consistent, legible handwriting style and take pride in their work.
Our approach
Handwriting is taught using the Kinetic Letters programme, which focuses on building the physical skills needed for writing. Pupils are taught correct posture, pencil grip and letter formation from the start.
Through structured and progressive lessons, pupils develop accuracy before moving towards fluency and joined handwriting. Regular practice ensures pupils can apply their skills across the curriculum.
Assessment and support
Teachers monitor handwriting closely and provide additional support where needed to ensure consistent progress.
Supporting handwriting at home
Parents and carers can support by:
- encouraging correct pencil grip and posture
- practising letter formation regularly
- providing opportunities to write at home
- praising effort and neat presentation
Writing
At Hackleton, we believe that writing is a vital skill that enables pupils to communicate their ideas with clarity and confidence. We aim to develop pupils who can write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences across the curriculum.
Our approach
Our writing curriculum is carefully sequenced to build strong foundations from the earliest stages. Pupils develop their understanding of sentence structure, grammar and punctuation through a clear progression, ensuring they can apply their knowledge with increasing independence.
We use a structured, sentence-based approach, teaching pupils how to construct sentences accurately before building towards extended pieces of writing. Pupils write regularly in a range of genres, always with a clear purpose and audience.
Assessment and support
Writing is regularly assessed, with clear feedback given to help pupils improve. Opportunities to edit and refine work enable pupils to become reflective and independent writers. Targeted support ensures all pupils can succeed.
Supporting writing at home
Parents and carers can support writing by:
- encouraging writing for real purposes (e.g. lists, stories, letters)
- discussing ideas before writing
- reinforcing correct sentence structure and punctuation
- praising effort and creativity