Literacy
Knowledge is Power. We Make it Stick.
"Literacy is powerful knowledge. We are committed to making it stick."
Academically, literacy enables our students to read, write and speak like experts across a wide range of disciplines. Our vision is to deliberately expand students’ vocabulary so that they can communicate with increasing confidence, fluency and precision. We are committed to fostering a strong culture of reading across the academy, where students engage with ambitious and diverse texts for pleasure, deepen their understanding of the world, and build cultural capital. We want all students to develop the habits that allow them to read, write and speak fluently and confidently throughout their time at Harris Academy Greenwich and beyond.
Beyond academia, high levels of literacy empower our students to thrive in a fast-paced and ever-changing world. Literacy equips them to become active, informed citizens who can ensure their voices are heard, challenge injustice and participate meaningfully in society. Strong communication skills enable students to articulate their emotions, navigate relationships successfully and compete in an ambitious and competitive labour market. Literacy is therefore a social justice issue: it directly impacts students’ life chances and supports them to live happy, healthy and successful lives, regardless of their starting point.
Turning our vision into reality
Drawing on the Education Endowment Foundation’s Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools guidance, Harris Academy Greenwich has identified five core principles that underpin the intent and implementation of whole-school literacy:
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Disciplinary vocabulary is explicitly specified within the curriculum, enabling students to read, write and speak like subject experts
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Vocabulary instruction is explicit, systematic and carefully sequenced
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Reading is prioritised, modelled and guided, with key vocabulary clearly signposted
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Writing opportunities are structured, scaffolded and deliberately planned
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Oracy is prioritised, explicitly modelled and carefully structured across the curriculum
Together, these principles ensure that literacy is everyone’s responsibility and that all students at Harris Academy Greenwich are equipped with the language, confidence and knowledge they need to succeed.