Our Approach to Literacy
At Leigh Academy Strood, Literacy is a whole-school priority and essential for success across all subjects, enabling students to read confidently, understand what they read, and communicate their ideas clearly in speech and writing.
We provide high-quality literacy teaching across the curriculum, with teachers modelling reading strategies, introducing subject-specific vocabulary, and supporting accurate written expression. Key words and concepts are explicitly taught, reinforced and applied in context to build comprehension, confidence and independence.
Students who need additional support are identified through assessment, teacher feedback and reading age diagnostics. They access targeted literacy interventions in small groups. These interventions develop reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, phonics and confidence, using structured approaches tailored to each learner’s needs.
All students have access to a one-to-one digital device and benefit from adaptive literacy tools through the Read&Write toolbar, which support reading, writing, comprehension and independent learning. Year 7 students on targeted literacy interventions can also opt in to using a Lexia account at home, providing personalised, adaptive practice to consolidate and extend the skills taught in school.
Progress is closely monitored, and interventions are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain effective, responsive and appropriately challenging.
Our aim is for every student to develop strong literacy skills, engage with a wide range of texts, use ambitious vocabulary with confidence, and fully access the curriculum and wider life of the school.
Our Literacy Interventions
- Fluency – builds accurate, expressive and confident reading through repeated reading and performance-based approaches.
- VIPERS – explicitly teaches key comprehension skills using a structured, scaffolded approach and high-quality texts.
- Lexia PowerUp – provides personalised digital literacy support for KS3 students accessing intervention.
- Phonics (Read Write Inc. Fresh Start) – supports older readers with gaps in early reading through systematic phonics instruction.
- Reciprocal Reading – develops comprehension and metacognitive skills through structured group reading roles.
- Literacy Box – offers targeted practice in comprehension, grammar and vocabulary through structured activities.
- Language Leaders – develops academic vocabulary, spoken language and reading fluency for EAL learners.
- Guided Reading – provides teacher-led, small-group reading to model effective strategies and support understanding.
- Headline Literacy – uses real-world texts and assistive technology to develop vocabulary, comprehension and independent reading skills.
- SEMH Literacy – combines literacy development with emotional literacy and confidence-building through project-based learning.
- Cognition & Learning – builds foundational literacy skills for students working below KS3 through explicit, structured instruction.
- FlashAcademy – delivers tailored EAL support to develop phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and extended writing.
How to Support Your Child at Home
Parents and carers play a vital role in supporting literacy development, and small, regular actions at home can make a significant difference.
Reading at Home
- Encourage your child to read for 10–20 minutes each day.
- Ask them to read aloud occasionally to practise fluency and confidence.
- Talk about what they are reading by asking questions about events, characters and ideas.
Developing Vocabulary
- Discuss unfamiliar words your child encounters when reading or completing homework.
- Encourage them to break words into parts (prefix, root and suffix) and use context clues to work out meaning.
- Ask your child to use new words in a sentence.
Using Digital Tools
- Encourage your child to make use of the Read&Write toolbar to support reading, writing and comprehension tasks at home.
- If your child is in Year 7 and accessing literacy intervention, support them to use Lexia regularly in short, focused sessions.
- Praise effort and persistence rather than focusing solely on scores.
Talking and Writing
- Encourage your child to talk about their learning and explain their ideas aloud.
- When writing at home, remind them to check spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.
- Encourage them to read their work back to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Creating a Positive Reading Culture
- Model positive reading habits by talking about what you read.
- Provide access to a range of reading materials, including fiction, non-fiction and digital texts.
- Celebrate progress and effort, however small.
