“In just one year, Literacy Tree has made a significant difference to how we approach teaching writing at Grangehurst. With the guidance of Pippa, our staff are now more confident in planning and teaching writing. It has been so lovely to see how engaged the children have been with the texts and their increased enthusiasm to write.”
— Katie Dominy, Deputy Head, Grangehurst Primary School, October 2024
Intent
We are a two-form entry school in Coventry, set in a diverse urban area. Much of the school’s catchment is amongst the 20-30% most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. As a school, we have always been dedicated to fostering a love for reading and writing, however, after reviewing our data, it became clear that our writing outcomes were not at the level we aspired to. We identified writing as a key priority on our School Improvement Plan and set about searching for the right approach for our school. Literacy Tree felt like the perfect fit. Our aim was to provide writing opportunities for our children that were not only rigorous and challenging, but also engaging and accessible for all learners, taking into consideration our children’s diverse backgrounds and interests.
Implementation
Before the full launch, we trialled some Literacy Tree texts in a few key year groups, which gave teachers a chance to get comfortable with the approach and provide feedback. This allowed us to ensure that we were moving forward in a way that worked for everyone.
From the very beginning, we wanted to make sure we implemented the approach in a thoughtful and effective way. Pippa’s whole-school inset was key to this, giving us the tools and confidence to introduce Literacy Tree across all year groups. Her insights were invaluable, helping us adapt the approach to fit the unique needs of our school community. Staff were engaged and excited to get started and there was a real buzz around school. The hook days were met with excitement and anticipation and very quickly we felt like we were moving in the right direction.
Impact
We have been working with Literacy Tree to support our writing for nearly year and as a school we have loved seeing the impact this has had on our children and their writing outcomes. Since introducing Literacy Tree, we’ve seen a steady increase in writing attainment. More than that, the children are genuinely excited about writing— becoming something they now embrace with enthusiasm. They are producing more creative and thoughtful work.
Both internal and external moderation has shown improvements in writing standards, particularly in Year 6. Teachers have commented on how the children are becoming more confident in discussing their writing process, using grammar terminology accurately, and engaging with the texts on a deeper level.
The rich variety of texts—from contemporary authors to classic literature—has opened new worlds for our children.
“We enjoy the engaging books and the variety of writing opportunities. It is also useful to revisit skills time and time again – this is having a positive impact on writing development.”
— UKS2 Teachers, Grangehurst Primary School
Looking Ahead
While we’ve only just begun our journey with Literacy Tree, the progress we’ve made in such a short time has been very exciting. Our Long-Term Plan is now well-established, and our teachers are excited to continue using the resources and ongoing support from Literacy Tree. The online planning sessions, subject leader meetings, and access to a wealth of new literature through the Literacy Tree website have been instrumental in helping us stay up-to-date and keep refining our practice.
More recently, again with the help of consultant Pippa, we introduced Book Club —our take on Literary Leaves. Each class now has a Floor Book that captures the key elements of their Book Club sessions, including writing responses and group discussions inspired by the texts. These Floor Books are passed up with the children as they move through the school, creating an evolving record of their literary journey and providing a wonderful way to reflect on and celebrate the texts they’ve studied. Whilst this for us, is still in its infancy, we can already see that the children are reading with greater focus and enthusiasm.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on what we’ve already achieved. The enthusiasm from both children and teachers gives us confidence that we’re on the right path, and we look forward to continuing to see the positive impact of this approach grow.
“The changes we’ve seen in just one year have been incredible. The children are more engaged in their writing than ever before, and our data reflects real progress. We’ve also noticed a strong sense of ownership and excitement around our Book Club sessions. The whole-school approach has laid a solid foundation, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us next. Working with Pippa and Literacy Tree has been an invaluable experience, and we’re looking forward to building on the momentum we’ve created.”
— Anna McGuiness, English Lead, Grangehurst Primary School, October 2024
