Intent
Consistency, coverage, stamina and engagement were key areas Goffs Oak Primary aimed to improve in the teaching of English. Following a rigorous trial period—during which all staff had the opportunity to contribute ideas and feedback—the school-wide launch of a new, text-based approach was rolled out in the Summer term of 2024. The Deputy Head recognised the immediate potential this approach had to address the school’s identified needs and drive positive change in English teaching and learning.
Implementation
The school benefited from the expertise of consultant Jen, who supported staff in mapping carefully selected texts to align with the school’s thematic foundation subject curriculum. This bespoke planning enabled pupils to make deeper connections between subjects, enhancing their understanding of vocabulary and context across a broad range of topics. After the first term of implementation, Jen returned to deliver whole-school training focused on live modelling and effectively utilising Writing Roots. Staff commented on how valuable and inspiring the training was, highlighting how it boosted their confidence and gave them practical strategies to apply immediately in the classroom.
Impact
The impact on writing outcomes has been exceptional. There has been a notable increase in enthusiasm for English throughout the school. Pupils are producing more frequent and higher-quality writing, with key writing concepts now embedded and applied independently. The rich and diverse range of wonderful texts has also ignited a genuine passion for reading amongst pupils, with many eager to explore books beyond the classroom. To ensure all stakeholders understood and supported the new approach, Goffs Oak hosted parent lessons centred on the Literacy Tree texts. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many parents praising the variety and richness of the texts their children now encounter.
Testimonial: Aimee Hart – Deputy Headteacher, Goffs Oak Primary School
May 2025
After extensively researching a wide range of English planning schemes, initiatives, and units of work, it became clear to me that the Literacy Tree’s core values aligned closely with those of our school. More than that, I could see it had the potential to transform writing engagement across all year groups. Its text-based approach stood out as the most powerful means of immersing children in language, genre, diversity, and purposeful writing.
One of the most impactful features of the Literacy Tree is the Discovery Point lessons. These provide all children with the same starting point, acting as a powerful equaliser. Regardless of a child’s background or prior experience, everyone begins each unit on the same footing. This not only removes barriers to access but also ensures that success in the lesson is not dependent on external factors.
From the outset, my goal was to bring everyone along on the journey. It was essential that our staff felt ownership of the change, so I made sure they had opportunities to trial the resources, provide feedback and play an active role in shaping our approach. This collaborative process ensured that the launch was not only successful but that the initiative would be embedded with genuine passion and commitment.
We extended that partnership beyond the staffroom, inviting parents in for ‘Parent Lessons’, hosting Governors for classroom visits, and involving our School Improvement Partner in the quality assurance process. These steps confirmed we were heading in the right direction—and doing something truly impactful.
Now, a year on, we’ve seen clear increases in both progress and attainment across the school, which is fantastic. But more than that, our greatest achievement has been the shift in attitude: the pride children now take in their English work, the buzz of excitement during lessons, the depth of knowledge they demonstrate through pupil voice, and the high quality of writing they’re producing.
This text-rich, spiral curriculum—with its purposeful mix of genres—has been a game-changer. It has undoubtedly been the driving force behind one of the most positive changes we’ve seen in our school.
