At North Chadderton School, we believe strongly that literacy not only enriches our students’ lives, but it creates opportunities for further development of skills in all areas of life and beyond school. We want each of our students to have the communication skills to allow them to find their voice and place in society. Therefore, as a school we have worked collaboratively to embed reciprocal reading and explicit vocabulary instruction across all subject disciplines.
That is why we have introduced two aligned four-stage approaches – one for vocabulary and one for reading – as part of our universal offer to all pupils. These approaches sit at the heart of our Quality First Teaching principles: what happens for every child, in every classroom, every day.
“Literacy is the responsibility of every teacher, in every subject.”
Why Reading and Vocabulary?
Across all subjects, pupils who can read fluently, understand what they read, and command a broad vocabulary are better able to access learning, express ideas, and think critically. In a school community like ours in Oldham, with varied prior experiences, linguistic backgrounds, and starting points, it is therefore crucial that we provide a shared framework for reading.
We are committing to:
A shared, consistent language for teaching reading and vocabulary
Explicit instruction
Systematic routines that reduce cognitive load and increase impact
These two four-stage models are not an ‘add-on’. They are our universal entitlement for pupils and a core part of our Quality First offer.
Our work is explicitly grounded in high-quality evidence. We have drawn heavily on the EEF’s Improving Secondary Literacy guidance report and on Alex Quigley’s work, particularly Closing the Vocabulary Gap and Building Vocabulary.
Our two four-stage models translate these research insights into clear, practical classroom routines that teachers can use every day, in every subject.
North Chadderton's Four Stage Models
Ofsted
Our most recent ofsted report shows that reading across the curriculum has improved as a result of our shared framework for reading and vocabulary. Ofsted reported that “most pupils become more confident readers over time. This allows them better access to the school’s ambitious curriculum”. (Ofsted, 2024).
Targeted Support: The North Chadderton Reading Pathway
While our two four-stage approaches form our universal offer for all pupils, we are equally aware that some pupils arrive at North Chadderton as early or weaker readers and need additional, targeted support to close gaps quickly and securely. This is a vital part of our inclusion offer.
Alongside high-quality classroom teaching, these pupils are supported through a range of structured, evidence-informed interventions, organised through our North Chadderton Reading Pathway.
The purpose of the Reading Pathway is to:
Identify reading needs early and precisely
Match pupils to the right intervention at the right time
Regularly review impact and adjust provision
Crucially, these interventions do not replace high-quality classroom teaching. Instead, they sit alongside and complement our universal approaches to reading and vocabulary.
In this way, our model is both inclusive and ambitious: strong Quality First Teaching for everyone, with precise additional support where it is needed most.
North Chadderton’s Reading Pathway
Ofsted
In its 2024 report, Ofsted also stated, “The school has reviewed how it identifies and supports pupils whose reading knowledge is weaker when they join the school. It has developed effective systems to identify pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge. These systems enable staff to pinpoint and remedy the specific problems that individual pupils face with reading.” (Ofsted, 2024)
Looking Ahead
We are committed not only to implementing evidence-informed practice, but to evaluating and improving it. As part of this ongoing development, we are now moving towards a writing-centred approach, ensuring that high-quality writing is placed at the centre of our curriculum and that pupils are supported to communicate their ideas with confidence.
