English

Reading 

Reading is the cornerstone of the Lower School curriculum. Learning to read begins in our vibrant and creative nursery setting where children develop a love of reading and language through poetry, songs, story times and early phonics sessions.  

Throughout the Kindergarten, early reading is developed using a balanced approach that focuses on both language comprehension and decoding. When learning to decode words, children receive tailored small-group teaching which ensures every child is supported and challenged to become a fluent, confident reader.  Once children reach the junior phase, they are explicitly taught a range of comprehension skills and develop broad vocabularies through the study of increasingly challenging works of literature.  

Children can expect to enjoy a diverse and exciting range of modern and traditional, high-quality stories, non-fiction texts and poems which inspire their own creative writing and spark a lifelong love of reading. Across the school, we are proud to have three well-loved and well-stocked libraries, as well as each Lower School classroom having an inviting reading area of its own.  

As part of delivering an engaging and challenging curriculum, our teachers are passionate about developing pupils’ oracy skills.  This commitment ensures regular opportunities for speaking and ‘learning through talk’: children can expect to enjoy participating in workshops, debates, performances and collaborative presentations to support them to explore literary works and deepen their understanding. 

Spelling 

At Gad’s Hill School, we believe confident spellers become confident writers. That’s why spelling is a key part of The One Curriculum, supporting children’s success across every subject. 

From the very start in EYFS, children explore all the sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes) of the English language through expert phonics teaching. This early focus on phonics and word-building supports them to achieve a Good Level of Development (GLD), laying strong foundations for future learning. In Kindergarten, they begin blending sounds and recognising sight words. As they move through the juniors, children benefit from a rigorous phonetic approach to teaching spelling, directly building on and applying what has been learnt during the kindergarten and carefully designed to meet the National Curriculum expectations for Key Stages 1 and 2. With regular practice, personalised logbooks, and structured support, children are challenged to grow their skills step by step. Children deepen their understanding through engaging activities that make learning to spell both fun and meaningful. 

Spelling is more than just writing words correctly – it’s the foundation for clear communication, creative expression, and academic achievement. At Gad’s Hill, we nurture every child’s spelling potential, helping them build the confidence to succeed. 

Writing at Gad’s Hill Lower School 

At Gad’s Hill School, we believe writing is a powerful tool for expression, creativity, and communication. From the earliest stages, children are encouraged to find their voice and develop confidence in using it. Writing is woven through our curriculum, with purposeful opportunities to write for real audiences and a range of genres. 

Our approach is both structured and inspiring. We use high-quality texts, modelled writing, and rich discussion to spark ideas and deepen understanding. We firmly believe that it is through enjoying and fully comprehending the works of excellent writers that children become excellent writers themselves.  

Grammar, punctuation and spelling are taught explicitly and applied meaningfully, helping children write with accuracy and flair. Within the EYFS framework, children are encouraged to express their ideas through mark-making and early writing, laying the foundation for effective communication and storytelling. 

Challenge is central to our teaching. We set high expectations for all learners, with carefully planned support and extension to ensure every child is stretched and supported to reach their potential. Writing is a journey, and we celebrate progress at every stage, from forming sentences to crafting compelling narratives and persuasive arguments. 

Through writing, pupils develop essential skills: creativity, resilience, critical thinking and empathy. They learn to reflect, edit, and take pride in their work. These are skills for life, preparing children not only for academic success, but for confident communication in the wider world. 

Confidence in English is, quite simply, the bedrock on which all other subjects are built. Without it, success in all other aspects of a pupil’s learning is likely to prove elusive; without it, success in later life may yet prove a challenge; it is the key skill!

Staff in the Upper school English Department believe firmly that the following objectives are central to developing a fully literate young person in the first half of the twenty-first century:

That all pupils write effectively, generating engaging ideas and communicating clearly with their readers. They should possess a wide vocabulary and should be able to spell and punctuate accurately and with confidence.

That all pupils develop the ability to read fluently and are comfortable responding to a wide range of texts. Pupils are exposed to quality writing from all periods, whether as poetry, prose or drama. The writers they encounter in the Upper School range from Shakespeare, Donne, Dickens and Orwell to contemporary poets such as Simon Armitage and Raymond Antrobus.

That all pupils can speak and listen effectively and with confidence.

That all pupils are introduced to a range of non-fiction texts and other media, including film and digital texts.

That all pupils recognize that the literacy landscape is changing. Nothing stays the same, least of all what we read and write, and they will need to be able to adapt.

We believe that lessons should be challenging, with plenty of opportunities for critical thinking. To further support the children, we recently launched our ‘Fostering a Love of Reading and Writing’ initiative and, to boost confidence, encourage them find outlets for the wider publication of their work. Classroom lessons are supported by a number of visiting speakers and trips, including the ever-popular “GCSE Poetry Live!”

So, do the pupils, relish their time with us? We’ll let an Upper Shell student answer that one:

“In English lessons you can lose yourself in the world of your imagination, you can recreate history and you can create a distant future.”

Reading 

Reading is the cornerstone of the Lower School curriculum. Learning to read begins in our vibrant and creative nursery setting where children develop a love of reading and language through poetry, songs, story times and early phonics sessions.  

Throughout the Kindergarten, early reading is developed using a balanced approach that focuses on both language comprehension and decoding. When learning to decode words, children receive tailored small-group teaching which ensures every child is supported and challenged to become a fluent, confident reader.  Once children reach the junior phase, they are explicitly taught a range of comprehension skills and develop broad vocabularies through the study of increasingly challenging works of literature.  

Children can expect to enjoy a diverse and exciting range of modern and traditional, high-quality stories, non-fiction texts and poems which inspire their own creative writing and spark a lifelong love of reading. Across the school, we are proud to have three well-loved and well-stocked libraries, as well as each Lower School classroom having an inviting reading area of its own.  

As part of delivering an engaging and challenging curriculum, our teachers are passionate about developing pupils’ oracy skills.  This commitment ensures regular opportunities for speaking and ‘learning through talk’: children can expect to enjoy participating in workshops, debates, performances and collaborative presentations to support them to explore literary works and deepen their understanding. 

Spelling 

At Gad’s Hill School, we believe confident spellers become confident writers. That’s why spelling is a key part of The One Curriculum, supporting children’s success across every subject. 

From the very start in EYFS, children explore all the sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes) of the English language through expert phonics teaching. This early focus on phonics and word-building supports them to achieve a Good Level of Development (GLD), laying strong foundations for future learning. In Kindergarten, they begin blending sounds and recognising sight words. As they move through the juniors, children benefit from a rigorous phonetic approach to teaching spelling, directly building on and applying what has been learnt during the kindergarten and carefully designed to meet the National Curriculum expectations for Key Stages 1 and 2. With regular practice, personalised logbooks, and structured support, children are challenged to grow their skills step by step. Children deepen their understanding through engaging activities that make learning to spell both fun and meaningful. 

Spelling is more than just writing words correctly – it’s the foundation for clear communication, creative expression, and academic achievement. At Gad’s Hill, we nurture every child’s spelling potential, helping them build the confidence to succeed. 

Writing at Gad’s Hill Lower School 

At Gad’s Hill School, we believe writing is a powerful tool for expression, creativity, and communication. From the earliest stages, children are encouraged to find their voice and develop confidence in using it. Writing is woven through our curriculum, with purposeful opportunities to write for real audiences and a range of genres. 

Our approach is both structured and inspiring. We use high-quality texts, modelled writing, and rich discussion to spark ideas and deepen understanding. We firmly believe that it is through enjoying and fully comprehending the works of excellent writers that children become excellent writers themselves.  

Grammar, punctuation and spelling are taught explicitly and applied meaningfully, helping children write with accuracy and flair. Within the EYFS framework, children are encouraged to express their ideas through mark-making and early writing, laying the foundation for effective communication and storytelling. 

Challenge is central to our teaching. We set high expectations for all learners, with carefully planned support and extension to ensure every child is stretched and supported to reach their potential. Writing is a journey, and we celebrate progress at every stage, from forming sentences to crafting compelling narratives and persuasive arguments. 

Through writing, pupils develop essential skills: creativity, resilience, critical thinking and empathy. They learn to reflect, edit, and take pride in their work. These are skills for life, preparing children not only for academic success, but for confident communication in the wider world. 

Confidence in English is, quite simply, the bedrock on which all other subjects are built. Without it, success in all other aspects of a pupil’s learning is likely to prove elusive; without it, success in later life may yet prove a challenge; it is the key skill!

Staff in the Upper school English Department believe firmly that the following objectives are central to developing a fully literate young person in the first half of the twenty-first century:

That all pupils write effectively, generating engaging ideas and communicating clearly with their readers. They should possess a wide vocabulary and should be able to spell and punctuate accurately and with confidence.

That all pupils develop the ability to read fluently and are comfortable responding to a wide range of texts. Pupils are exposed to quality writing from all periods, whether as poetry, prose or drama. The writers they encounter in the Upper School range from Shakespeare, Donne, Dickens and Orwell to contemporary poets such as Simon Armitage and Raymond Antrobus.

That all pupils can speak and listen effectively and with confidence.

That all pupils are introduced to a range of non-fiction texts and other media, including film and digital texts.

That all pupils recognize that the literacy landscape is changing. Nothing stays the same, least of all what we read and write, and they will need to be able to adapt.

We believe that lessons should be challenging, with plenty of opportunities for critical thinking. To further support the children, we recently launched our ‘Fostering a Love of Reading and Writing’ initiative and, to boost confidence, encourage them find outlets for the wider publication of their work. Classroom lessons are supported by a number of visiting speakers and trips, including the ever-popular “GCSE Poetry Live!”

So, do the pupils, relish their time with us? We’ll let an Upper Shell student answer that one:

“In English lessons you can lose yourself in the world of your imagination, you can recreate history and you can create a distant future.”