https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp How do we support our students to overcome barriers to fluency? en-us 2021-12-14 20:49:25 UTC 2025-09-25 00:59:03 UTC hello@padlet.com NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948047322 In liaison with students' Yr6 teachers, SATs results, and baseline assessments conducted in the first few weeks of Year 7, we identify students who we think would benefit from, and contribute positively to, a small group learning environment that can support them to develop their fluency in literacy and numeracy.  

At the end of the first half term in Yr 7 Autumn Term, we review students' progress in core subjects.  Students who are clearly benefitting from the additional support will remain on the Developing Fluency Programme for the rest of KS3.  We make this decision with the student and their families, and discuss the provision we have put in place to ensure that students on the Developing Fluency Programme continue to access a culturally enriching curriculum, even though they will not be formally studying a Modern Foreign Language. ]]> 2021-12-14 21:12:16 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948047322 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948054625 Students following the 'Developing Fluency KS3 Programme' will receive 3 hours each week of English, Maths and Science, in the same way that their peers do.

However, students on this programme will be taught in considerably smaller class sizes for core subjects, and these subjects will always supported by a Teaching Assistant.  

In core subjects (English, Maths and Science), students will follow a similar curriculum content to their peers, but lesson time will prioritise practising and consolidating core knowledge and skills that their peers will have already attained by the end of Key Stage 2. 

Instead of following the French curriculum, students on this programme will receive 3 hours of additional literacy support each week.  We refer to these lessons as 'Literacy Booster' lessons.

In non-core subjects, students will be part of a mixed ability class and follow an identical curriculum to their peers.]]> 2021-12-14 21:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948054625 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948087342 During Literacy Booster lessons, we specifically choose texts that not only develop students' reading skills, but also open inspire and enrich discussions about different cultures and identities. 

Students on the 'Developing Fluency KS3 Programme' are all personally invited to attend the weekly after-school Spanish Club which provides them with the opportunity to learn a new language from scratch.  Parents of these students also receive an individual letter home encouraging them to support their child to attend this club.

In the last week of each term, students spend their Literacy Booster lessons finding out more about a different culture.

• Year 7 Autumn term: A virtual trip to Paris
• Year 7 Spring term: Francophone culture in Burkina Faso and refugees in Calais
• Year 7 Summer term: Sport - PSG, ice hockey in Canada, and the African Cup of Nations
• Year 8 Autumn term: Life in Germany after WW2 (linking with The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and the film The Miracle of Bern)
• Year 8 Spring term: Coco - the Day of the Dead and being an outsider (linking with The Star Outside My Window)
• Year 8 Summer term: Italy - factfile, monuments and food

]]> 2021-12-14 21:39:54 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948087342 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948113101 Students will read abridged versions of:
Beowulf - Viking culture
Monte Cristo - French culture
Dracula - Eastern European culture]]> 2021-12-14 22:01:11 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948113101 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948113592 Students will study 'The Guggenheim Mystery' which explores an autistic boy's identity in the midst of a criminal investigation, set in New York.]]> 2021-12-14 22:01:37 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948113592 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948118382 Students will study 'Private Peaceful' and explore the history and culture of World War One.]]> 2021-12-14 22:05:49 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948118382 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948119208 Students will study 'The Explorer' and explore the culture of South America.]]> 2021-12-14 22:06:26 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948119208 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948121386 Students will study 'Boy at the back of the class' and explore the cultural experiences of a refugee from Syria.]]> 2021-12-14 22:08:21 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948121386 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948125928 Students will study 'Star outside my window' and explore the identity of a young girl living with domestic violence and suddenly finding herself in foster care.]]> 2021-12-14 22:12:05 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948125928 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948126656 Students will study 'Boy in Striped Pajamas' and explore the history, culture and identity of someone living through the holocaust of World War 2.]]> 2021-12-14 22:12:40 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948126656 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948136894 Literacy Booster lessons will follow a regular format of:

* Vocab retrieval quiz
* Explicit vocab instruction of new vocab
* Expert reading aloud
* Reciprocal Reading strategies used to develop reading comprehension]]> 2021-12-14 22:21:12 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948136894 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948144067 Students will complete a vocab test at the end of each book that they study.

The test will be composed of Tier 2 vocabulary and test students on their understanding of word definition as well as their understanding of the word in context.]]> 2021-12-14 22:27:21 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948144067 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948156514 Students will complete an Accelerated Reader Book Quiz at the end of each book they read.

The quiz assesses students on their overall comprehension of the text; we would expect students to achieve 80%+.  ]]> 2021-12-14 22:38:38 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948156514 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948157358 Students will complete a termly assessment that tracks their reading age progress.

In addition to the bi-annual Progress Report sent home for all students, parents of students on the Developing Fluency KS3 Programme will also receive a termly report that shares their Accelerated Reader Book Quiz score, and NGRT Progress in Reading Age score. 

Students who are failing to make significant progress in reading will meet with their teacher and parents/ and SEND colleagues to review barriers to learning and identify additional support that is needed.]]> 2021-12-14 22:39:23 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1948157358 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1949100834 Students will choose an alternative GCSE or BTEC option and will continue to have access to an afterschool MFL club.

]]> 2021-12-15 10:50:28 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1949100834 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1952225892 Whilst we don't want to limit any child's access to a broad and balanced curriculum, we do recognise that for some of our students, they experience such significant barriers in literacy, that it impacts their potential achievement in every subject.

When taking the decision to narrow a curriculum for any of our students, we are committed to ensuring that there is a genuine evidence base underpinning the alternative provision we are proposing.

For students who follow the Developing Fluency KS3 programme, we have ensured that:

• Sessions are regular - 3 x 1 hours per week, delivered by the same teacher
• Sessions are delivered by a Middle Leader, who is also an MFL teacher and has expertise in the explicit teaching of language comprehension and vocabulary
• Lessons are structured around explicit vocabulary instruction, and students are guided through a reading a text using Reciprocal Reader strategies to support with comprehension 
• At the end of each text, students are assessed through a vocab test and book comprehension test; at the end of each term, students sit a reading assessment using NGRT - this data is shared with parents on a termly basis, and individual reviews are held where appropriate 
• Reciprocal Reader is used as a whole school strategy in all classrooms to support with reading comprehension

]]> 2021-12-16 16:49:15 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1952225892 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1976372553 Students will study 'Two Weeks with the Queen' which explores an Australian's boy's immersion in British culture as he struggles to come to terms with his brother's diagnosis of cancer, alongside his new found friend's terminal condition of AIDS.]]> 2022-01-05 13:45:03 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/1976372553 NorthstoweSecondaryCollege https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/2062502498 Students are set the challenge of learning a language outside of school, using the Duolingo app.  Successes are shared and celebrated in lesson time. 

Languages that our students have chosen range from Japanese to Russian to Irish!]]> 2022-02-23 12:43:10 UTC https://padlet.com/NorthstoweSecondaryCollege/ex2glqdnupntgahp/wish/2062502498