Foundational Knowledge
Reading, Writing, Oracy, and Numeracy
Foundational Knowledge
Reading, Writing, Oracy, and Numeracy
At The Castle School, we believe that secure foundational knowledge gives every student access to learning, opportunity and success. Reading, writing, oracy and numeracy are the foundations upon which all learning is built. They enable students to understand new ideas, communicate their thinking, make connections and engage confidently with an ambitious curriculum.
Our approach is rooted in a simple principle: foundational knowledge is everyone’s responsibility. Every subject, every classroom and every teacher has a role to play in helping students develop the knowledge, vocabulary and skills they need to thrive.
Through excellent teaching, a carefully designed curriculum and targeted support, we aim to ensure that every student can access learning, achieve their potential and develop the knowledge needed for life beyond school.
Our Four Foundations of Learning
Reading
We want every student to become a fluent, confident reader who can understand, interpret and engage with increasingly complex texts. Reading is not just the responsibility of English; it is an essential part of learning in every subject.
Our approach includes:
Reading across the curriculum: Students encounter high-quality, subject-specific texts that deepen their understanding and build disciplinary knowledge.
Tutor time reading: Tutor groups read their chosen book twice a week, with the ambition of completing a book each term.
Fluency and comprehension: Teachers model fluent reading, including intonation and expression, while choral and echo reading help students build confidence and develop decoding skills.
Explicit vocabulary teaching: Students explore key words, word roots, syllables, morphology and etymology to develop a deeper understanding of language.
Reading for enjoyment: Our school library, reading enrichment, book clubs and Sparx Reader help nurture positive reading habits.
Targeted support: Assessment and intervention help us identify students who need additional support with reading fluency, phonics or comprehension.
Tutor Time Book List:
Year 7KickBoy and Going SoloTurning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March
Year 8The Ghosts of HeavenAnimal FarmI Am Malala
Year 9Brother in the LandOf Mice and MenThe Boys Who Challenged Hitler
Year 10The Hate U GiveThe Hound of the Baskervilles
Year 11Touching the Void
We want students to develop the confidence to read widely, understand challenging texts and use reading as a tool for lifelong learning.
Writing
We teach writing explicitly and consistently across the curriculum, building on students’ prior learning and developing their ability to communicate increasingly sophisticated ideas.
Our approach includes:
Modelling excellence: Teachers demonstrate what effective writing looks like using subject-specific examples.
Sentence and paragraph mastery: Students develop secure sentence construction, grammar and paragraph structure before progressing to extended writing.
Vocabulary in context: Academic and subject-specific language is taught deliberately so students can express their understanding accurately.
A clear writing process: Students learn to plan, draft, revise and edit their work, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
Oral rehearsal and scaffolding: Structured talk, sentence starters and teacher modelling help students organise their ideas before writing independently.
Fluency and accuracy: Spelling, punctuation and legible handwriting are developed to help students communicate effectively and confidently.
Our ambition is for every student to become an increasingly independent writer who can explain, analyse, evaluate and communicate knowledge successfully in every subject.
Oracy
High-quality classroom talk enables students to explore ideas, reason carefully, learn from others and prepare for effective writing. We deliberately develop students’ confidence, academic language and ability to communicate for different purposes.
Our approach includes:
Purposeful classroom discussion: Routines such as Think, Pair, Share and Turn and Talk give students regular opportunities to rehearse and develop their thinking.
Academic language: Teachers model high-quality responses and reinforce precise subject-specific vocabulary.
Sentence starters: Students are supported to construct extended, well-reasoned responses.
Effective questioning: Teachers use questions that encourage explanation, reasoning, clarification and deeper thinking.
Speaking opportunities: Debates, presentations, spoken projects and other purposeful activities develop confidence and public speaking skills.
Talk before writing: Students have opportunities to articulate and refine their ideas verbally before expressing them in writing.
We want every student to feel able to contribute, listen respectfully, explain their reasoning and communicate with confidence, precision and purpose.
Numeracy
Numeracy is essential beyond mathematics lessons. Students need to interpret data, recognise patterns, use calculations accurately and apply mathematical thinking in a wide range of subjects and real-life situations.
Our approach includes:
Numeracy across the curriculum: Students apply mathematical knowledge and skills in relevant subject contexts.
Consistent calculation methods: Teachers use the school’s Calculations Policy where appropriate to promote consistency and accuracy.
Explicit problem-solving instruction: Students learn to interpret questions, identify relevant information, select strategies and explain their reasoning.
Identifying gaps in knowledge: Assessment helps us understand students’ starting points and identify areas requiring further teaching or support.
Targeted intervention: Programmes such as SNAP Maths and Sparx Fluency support students in developing the foundations they need to access the curriculum.
Stretch and enrichment: Opportunities such as mathematical challenges and further study encourage students to extend their thinking beyond the taught curriculum.
Our ambition is for every student to develop mathematical confidence, apply their understanding accurately and approach unfamiliar problems with resilience.
How we make foundational knowledge part of everyday learning
Foundational knowledge is not a separate initiative. It is embedded in the way we teach, design our curriculum and support students
Across The Castle School, we are committed to:
Teaching explicitly. We model new knowledge, explain unfamiliar vocabulary and make the steps involved in successful reading, writing, speaking and mathematical thinking clear.
Building on prior knowledge. We help students connect what they already know to new learning, securing the foundations before moving towards more complex ideas.
Maintaining high expectations. We provide ambitious learning experiences for all students, with appropriate scaffolding and support to help everyone participate and succeed.
Identifying barriers early. Assessment, classroom observation and targeted screening help us recognise when students need additional support with reading, writing, language or numeracy.
Connecting intervention with classroom learning. Additional support is designed to strengthen students’ ability to access the wider curriculum, with progress monitored to inform next steps.
Reviewing and improving practice. We evaluate the consistency and impact of our approaches through assessment, curriculum reviews, lesson visits, work scrutiny and feedback from students, staff and families.
Supporting every learner
We recognise that students arrive at The Castle School with different experiences, strengths and starting points. Some may need additional support to secure the foundations required for successful learning, while others are ready to deepen and extend their knowledge.
We pay particular attention to students who are disadvantaged, those with SEND, students who speak English as an additional language (EAL), and students at the early stages of reading, writing or numeracy.
Support may include diagnostic assessment, phonics and reading interventions, additional writing support, numeracy programmes and language-learning resources such as FlashAcademy.
We also focus on effective transition from Year 6 to Year 7, helping us understand students’ existing knowledge and identify the support they may need as they begin secondary school.
Our commitment is to identify barriers, respond thoughtfully and ensure that students are supported to access the same ambitious curriculum and make meaningful progress.
What does this mean for our students?
We want students to leave The Castle School with more than subject knowledge. We want them to possess the foundational knowledge that allow them to use that knowledge independently and confidently.
By developing reading, writing, oracy and numeracy together, we aim for students who can:
Read fluently and understand increasingly challenging texts.
Use a rich and precise vocabulary to explain their learning.
Write accurately, coherently and effectively for different purposes.
Speak confidently, listen carefully and contribute meaningfully to discussions.
Apply mathematical knowledge and reasoning across subjects and in everyday life.
Approach new challenges with confidence, independence and resilience.
These foundations support achievement across the curriculum, success in examinations and preparation for further education, employment and adult life.
Our commitment for 2026–2029
Our Foundational Knowledge Strategy sets out our commitment to strengthening the consistency, quality and impact of teaching and support across The Castle School.
We will continue to develop our existing approaches, monitor students’ progress, evaluate the impact of interventions and use feedback from students, staff and families to inform improvement.
Success means more than implementing individual programmes. It means ensuring that foundational knowledge is consistently embedded in everyday teaching and that students who need additional support receive it effectively.