English
English at Woodleigh is taught through vibrant and fast paced paced teaching with an emphasis on engaging pupils’ creativity and fostering a love of reading. There are extensive opportunities for children to shine at English within the classroom and beyond.
Woodleigh takes part in the Kid’s Lit Quiz, an international children’s literature competition, each year. There are regular trips to theatres, locally and further afield.
Woodleigh boasts a fully computerised library stocked with over 4000 books. In Years Seven and Eight, teams compete in the regional finals of the Rotary Youth Speaks competition. Debating is used extensively as a teaching tool in English and PSHE.
Pupils are encouraged to write short stories, and Years Five to Eight enter short story competitions each year. Pupils also have the opportunity to write short plays and screenplays and realise these in the form of films, animations and adverts which can be viewed on Woodleigh’s YouTube channel.
An annual handwriting competition run by the Malton Show encourages pride in presentation, which is practised in conjunction with spelling each week.
All pupils in Year Three to Five practise writing letters each week. Many choose to write to authors, politicians and celebrities, often eliciting personalised replies.
Book fairs are held each term offering an opportunity for pupils and parents to purchase carefully selected recent releases. An innovative online suggested reading list provides choice and value to pupils and parents when selecting suitable reading material for all ages and abilities, with an emphasis on books which are fun.
