Literacy and Communication
At John O’Gaunt, we are determined to give our students the very best education possible, via a broad and balanced curriculum, to enable them to realise their potential and take their place in a rapidly changing society.
A core focus on developing writing skills, reading for comprehension and pleasure, and oracy are vital in preparing students for the wider world of work and further study and these aspects form the bedrock of our Curriculum offer at John O’Gaunt. We want every student to gain the skills they need to lead successful and fulfilling lives, whatever their interests and whatever their starting point.
On this page you will find some resources that will help YOU to help US support your child’s literacy and communication skills.
JOG Approach to Student Literacy
JOG Approach to Vocabulary and Spelling
Bedrock Vocabulary – To support our focus on word acquisition and understanding, and reading, this year we are trialling the use of an online programme called Bedrock Vocabulary which specifically focuses on broadening students’ Tier 2 (academic) vocabulary knowledge linked to a tested starting point. This will be facilitated in one English lesson a week for Years 7 and 8. All students are given a username and password and the programme can also be used at home.
JOG Approach to Reading
At John O’Gaunt, we value and promote reading as an essential life skill which is intrinsically linked to your child’s overall success. We test reading ages on an annual basis and communicate progress with you. Every teacher is a teacher of reading: we work to support and develop disciplinary literacy within lessons; we foster a love of reading within our tutor reading programme and dedicated library lessons. We use our state of the art library facilities to ensure student interests are catered for and horizons are broadened.
This intervention is for identified students only following robust assessments. Parents will be contacted if our Fresh Start intervention will benefit their child.
Tutorial Reading Programme
We have a Tutorial Reading Programme that is underpinned by research that suggests that reading aloud high quality, engaging texts to students can support reading skill and reading will. Teachers read aloud to their Tutor Groups twice a week for 20 minutes and help students with understanding and engagement via questioning linked to VIPERS (which are strategies good readers use when reading).
We are also lucky to have access to an eReading platform called ‘Reading Cloud.’ Reading Cloud is our interactive, online Library, linked to our lovely, well-stocked physical one. Students can access it, through our Teams Portal, with their existing school email and login. Here, they are able to see what books they have borrowed (and which need returning). They are able to search for and reserve books, as well as linked articles, write reviews of books they have read and generally keep in touch with the Library. Here, under ‘Links’, students will also find our eResources, The Day online news, debate and curriculum portal and eChalk. Do have an explore of these great resources! Here, too (and most excitingly) is Wheelers eBooks.
You will find a range of eBooks AND eAudio books to borrow. You can then read them on your computer or by downloading the App onto your phone or other device.
Students can accesss Reading Cloud by following these steps:
- Access Microsoft 365 in the usual way
- Click on Sharepoint
- Select JOG Home PH
- Select the Reading Cloud tile
- Login with your normal school email and password
- When you click on ‘Links’, you will get a warning that this is an ‘external resource’, click OK.
- For the eBook App, find ePlatform Wheelers, click on John O’Gaunt School from the dropdown list and login with your normal school details. Have fun exploring.