Intent

 At Oldcastle, we recognised that our previous curriculum lacked the creative spark found when high-quality literature is at the heart of learning. We were searching for a scheme that prioritised creativity and the "book as a hook" to engage our learners. After evaluating numerous options, Literacy Tree emerged as the clear frontrunner. Our decision was solidified after visiting a flagship school in London and linking with a local setting; seeing the pedagogy in action convinced us that this was the perfect fit for the Oldcastle community.

Implementation

Our journey began with training from a Literacy Tree representative whose supportive and engaging approach "hooked" our staff immediately. This enthusiasm has sustained itself, with teachers valuing how the planning supports delivery while bringing literacy to life through stunning, varied texts.

Currently, our implementation is tailored to Oldcastle’s specific needs:

• Writing Roots: These form the core of our writing curriculum, embedding high-quality outcomes within our daily literacy lessons.
• Reading Leaves: Rather than whole-class sessions, we use these books and activities within a guided reading carousel, which currently offers the best support for our pupils.
• Spelling Seeds: While we utilise elements of this, we have maintained focused spelling sessions to target and improve our current spelling scores specifically.
• Vocabulary Vines:  These will be used as part of our working walls where we build up the key information from our books to support the pupils during their literacy writing.

Impact

The shift in engagement has been noticeable. We have seen a significant improvement in the quality of writing, driven by the pupils’ genuine connection to the texts. Our staff and pupils love the diverse writing opportunities and the flexibility to present work in varied, creative ways. Perhaps most impressively, the influence of Literacy Tree has spilt over into the wider curriculum, with students applying their narrative and investigative writing skills across multiple subjects.

The Big Picture & Next Steps

As we look forward, our Subject Lead is refining the curriculum to ensure our "books at the heart" approach aligns seamlessly with the school’s "Big Ideas." Using the wealth of support documents available, we are currently:

• Mapping out texts to ensure a cohesive journey through the school using Writing Roots and Reading Leaf texts to support our curriculum across all areas of learning.
• Aligning skills and genres to strengthen writing for different purposes and areas of learning.
• Collaborating with staff to develop a bespoke curriculum map that ensures every child at Oldcastle leaves as a confident, versatile communicator.
  
  

Teacher Testimonial 

"When I first visited the flagship school in London, I was immediately drawn to how Literacy Tree could work for us at Oldcastle. Having always loved using books as the centrepiece for learning, I knew this approach would effectively support and drive our literacy forward. At the time, I wasn't yet the Literacy Lead, but I was heavily involved from an SLT perspective.

When I later stepped into the Literacy Lead role, I loved mapping out our texts to align perfectly with our wider curriculum. Throughout this journey, the support from the Literacy Tree team has been exceptional—ranging from high-quality training and online meetings to comprehensive resources and hands-on curriculum redesign support. Their team is incredibly responsive, always answering emails promptly and collaborating with us to ensure the program moves our school forward in a way that suits our unique needs, rather than acting as a rigid scheme.

From a subject leader's perspective, the framework is brilliantly supportive for staff, giving them the freedom to remain creative in their teaching. The subject leader resources have been invaluable for tracking and ensuring progression across year groups. Furthermore, the fact that Literacy Tree constantly evolves and introduces new texts makes it fantastic for fostering a genuine, lifelong love of reading."

– Lyndsey Hodgson, English Subject Leader

Case Study – The Baker by the Sea

In Year 4, pupils explored the story The Baker by the Sea through lots of hands-on learning. Pupils were immediately hooked into the story and began by exploring the key qualities and skills needed to become a baker. They then applied for a baker's role, persuading the writer that they would be the best for the job. Pupils were invited to take part in an interview process, where they worked collaboratively as a team to bake bread. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed this hands-on experience and showed excellent teamwork, creativity and communication skills throughout. 

I’ve really enjoyed using the Literacy Tree scheme of work in my classroom. It’s become a resource I can rely on because it’s so well thought out and easy to follow, but still flexible enough to make it my own. The books are a real highlight for me; they are carefully chosen and really do capture the pupils' attention from the start. I’ve found that they provide brilliant discussions and the pupils genuinely care about what they’re reading, which makes a huge difference to the quality of their writing afterwards.

– Lauren Tompkinson, Year 4 Teacher