Literacy at Greenhills
Literacy at Greenhills
Literacy is the key to success in learning, work and wellbeing. Research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) shows that children who develop strong reading, writing and communication skills do better across all areas of the curriculum and in later life.
At Greenhills, we believe this is a shared responsibility. When school and families work together, children make the fastest progress.
We deliver literacy through a clear, structured and inclusive pathway so that every child can succeed.
a consistent, step-by-step programme from nursery to P7
a new structured writing approach across the whole school
direct teaching of reading and comprehension skills
a strong focus on talk and vocabulary
inclusive strategies for all learners
This structure helps children build skills year after year and ensures high standards for everyone.
We are introducing a new structured writing programme across the school.
Children learn to:
plan their ideas
build sentences and paragraphs
edit and improve their work
write for different purposes
This shared approach means children experience the same clear routines and language at every stage.
In the early stages, children develop their awareness of sounds through games, songs and play.
We then teach reading using a systematic synthetic phonics approach. This is strongly supported by research and helps children to:
read words accurately
spell using sounds
become confident, independent readers
Reading is about making meaning.
We teach children to:
predict and ask questions
explain their thinking
make connections
understand different types of texts
Teaching these skills directly has a very high impact on progress.
Children who enjoy reading read more often and achieve more.
We promote this through:
daily reading in class
high-quality texts and class novels
opportunities to choose books
welcoming library spaces
We teach spelling in a clear, structured way so children understand patterns in words and can apply their phonics knowledge.
We also place a strong focus on vocabulary because knowing more words helps children to understand more of what they read and hear.
Communication is at the heart of learning.
Children learn to:
share their ideas
listen to others
take part in discussion
speak with confidence
For many of our ASN learners, we also use:
visual communication supports
assistive technology and AAC
sensory and communication-rich approaches
This ensures every child can take part and be heard.
Inclusion is central to our literacy curriculum.
Our approaches are:
visual
structured
repetitive
carefully adapted to meet individual needs
All children are supported to achieve success at their own level.
Just 10 minutes a day makes a huge difference.
You can:
read to your child
listen to them read
talk about the story
Conversation builds vocabulary and understanding.
talk about your day
introduce new words
ask your child questions
encourage them to explain their ideas
This helps early reading.
Try:
nursery rhymes and songs
“I spy” with sounds
clapping syllables in words
Writing does not always mean sentences.
You can encourage:
drawing and labelling
shopping lists
notes and messages
mark making
Let your child see you:
reading for enjoyment
visiting the library
talking about books
If you are unsure how to help, we will:
share strategies
provide resources
offer guidance
Together, we can give your child the best possible start in life through strong literacy skills.