Curriculum
At Thorns Collegiate Academy, we believe that literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and personal empowerment. Literacy underpins all areas of the curriculum and is designed to nurture confident, articulate, and literate individuals who are equipped to thrive in both academic and real-world settings. We believe that every member of staff is teacher of Literacy and aim to foster a culture where literacy is prioritised in every classroom, in every subject.
We focus on four key strands of literacy:
- Reading – Developing comprehension, fluency, and a love for literature across a wide range of texts.
- Writing – Encouraging clarity, creativity, and accuracy in written communication for a variety of purposes and audiences.
- Speaking – Building confidence in verbal expression and being able to articulate ideas clearly.
- Listening – Developing active listening, critical thinking, and respectful engagement with others.
By strengthening these core skills, we aim to support every student in becoming a capable communicator and thoughtful learner. Literacy is not just a subject—it’s a vital life skill. Through high-quality teaching and a literacy rich environment, we empower our students to become confident, literate adults ready to make their mark on the world.
Reading at Thorns
KS3
At Thorns, our Literacy 4 Life curriculum in Years 7 and 8 offers a rich, engaging, and inclusive approach to developing essential literacy skills. Through a carefully designed thematic curriculum, students are given meaningful opportunities to strengthen their reading, writing, speaking and listening across all subjects.
Our unique approach to Big Reads and Big Writes provides a scaffolded learning experience that enables all students to access and engage with key texts and genres. These sessions are
carefully planned to support comprehension, creativity, and critical thinking, while also encouraging students to express themselves with clarity and confidence.
A strong emphasis is placed on vocabulary development. In every lesson, students encounter and explore Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary, helping them to build a deeper understanding of subject-specific language.
In addition to classroom learning, students in Years 7, 8 and 9 complete a Theme Reader as part of their homework for each L4L theme. This task involves reading a set text tailored to the theme and recording their progress. These texts are chosen to challenge students and expose them to rich, subject-relevant vocabulary. The Theme Reader also ensures that every student has the opportunity to be heard reading aloud during each theme, supporting fluency, confidence, and progress throughout the year.
Reading opportunities for all
We believe that reading opens doors—for learning, for imagination, and for life. That’s why every student at Thorns has weekly access to our library, where they can explore a wide range of books and discover new favourites. In addition, students can enjoy reading anytime, anywhere through our Sparx Reader platform, which offers a fantastic selection of e-books.
Our English curriculum is carefully designed to support students from Year 7 through to Year 11, building on what they’ve learned each year. It’s scaffolded to help them grow in confidence and develop the skills they need to succeed at every stage of their journey—whether that’s analysing texts, writing creatively, or preparing for exams and beyond.
Sparx Reader
At Thorns, we are committed to nurturing a lifelong love of reading and developing strong Literacy skills across all year groups. As part of this commitment, students in Years 7 and 8 participate in the Sparx Reader programme — a dynamic and personalised reading platform designed to engage learners at their individual reading level.
Sparx Reader offers each student a tailored reading experience by recommending texts that align with their current ability and personal interests. This approach not only builds reading confidence but also encourages enjoyment and curiosity, helping students to see reading as a rewarding and enriching activity.
Students access Sparx Reader during their daily L4L sessions, where they work towards achieving a weekly target of at least 300 Sparx Reader Points. These points are awarded for ‘careful reading’, which involves engaging with a text and completing regular checkpoints that assess comprehension and understanding. The programme adapts in real time to each student’s responses, offering personalised support and challenge based on their accuracy and progress.
This reflective reading process encourages students to think deeply about what they have read, enhancing their ability to interpret and analyse texts. Teachers actively monitor progress during L4L sessions, providing targeted support and guidance to ensure every student is developing both fluency and comprehension.
The Sparx Reader programme complements our wider L4L curriculum, reinforcing the importance of reading. By embedding reading into the daily routine, we ensure that every student has the opportunity to grow as a confident, capable, and enthusiastic reader.
Sparx Reader is an inclusive platform, allowing students to personalise their experience by changing font, font size, spacing, background colour and adding a line or guide, supporting a range of different learning needs.
We now also have access to Sparx GCSE, so will be introducing Sparx Reader to our KS4 students very soon!
Whole class reader
We are passionate about developing confident, thoughtful readers who can engage with a wide range of texts and ideas. As part of this commitment, all students in Years 7 to 10 take part in our Whole Class Reader curriculum — a structured reading programme delivered during form time.
The texts selected for this programme are chosen with great care. Each one is selected for its thematic relevance to our L4L, English, or Personal Development curriculum, its broader cultural significance, or its potential to enrich students’ cultural capital. By engaging with these texts, students are exposed to diverse perspectives, powerful narratives, and thought-provoking ideas that support both academic and personal growth.
Each week, staff read aloud to students, modelling fluent and expressive reading. Students follow along using their own copy of the text, allowing them to engage actively with the material. After reading key sections, teachers facilitate discussions using targeted questions designed to:
- Expand vocabulary
- Deepen understanding of the writer’s purpose
- Encourage personal and critical responses to the text
This shared reading experience helps to build a strong reading culture across the academy, where students feel confident discussing literature and exploring complex themes.
Whole Class Reader - Key Texts
Throughout the academic year, each year group will study two core texts alongside a selection of short non-fiction pieces. Our current reading list includes:
- Year 7 – Holes by Louis Sachar
- Year 8 – Wonder by R.J. Palacio
- Year 9 – Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
- Year 10 – Animal Farm by George Orwell
Later in the year, we look forward to introducing additional texts such as The Outsiders, Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Pigeon English, and Of Mice and Men, continuing to challenge and inspire our students through literature.
Reading VIPERS
Reading VIPERS are used in all of our Whole Class Reader sessions and are also incorporated into ‘Big Read’ lessons in L4L, keeping a consistent approach to comprehension across all year groups.
Oracy
We believe that confident communication is a cornerstone of success — both in education and in life beyond the classroom. As part of our mission to develop articulate, thoughtful, and literate young adults, we have embedded Oracy into our weekly form time sessions.
Each week, all students take part in a dedicated ‘Oracy – Time to Talk’ session. These sessions are designed to strengthen students’ speaking and listening skills, enabling them to express their thoughts clearly, listen actively, and engage respectfully in discussion. Through structured activities and guided conversations, students learn how to communicate effectively in a range of contexts.
Our Oracy curriculum is built around four key strands:
- Physical – focusing on voice projection, clarity, and body language
- Linguistic – developing vocabulary, grammar, and rhetorical techniques
- Cognitive – encouraging reasoning, structuring ideas, and critical thinking
- Social & Emotional – promoting empathy, confidence, and collaborative dialogue
Each strand is explored in depth, helping students to understand how different aspects of communication influence the way we present ourselves and interact with others. These sessions provide a safe and supportive environment for students to practise and refine their communication skills.
We are following the Voice 21 Oracy Framework, a nationally recognised model that underpins our approach. This framework ensures that our Oracy provision is both rigorous and inclusive, giving every student the opportunity to become a confident speaker and an active listener.
By embedding Oracy into our form time, we are not only enhancing students’ academic development but also equipping them with essential life skills that will serve them well in future education, employment, and personal relationships.
Literacy Intervention
KS3 Phonics
We know that getting the basics right is key to helping students grow into confident readers. That’s why some of our learners receive extra support through the Abigail Steele Phonics Programme.
Students are identified using NGRT baseline assessments, Single Word Reading Tests, followed by a Phonics screening to help us understand exactly where they need support. This is also triangulated by looking at SATS results, transition information from primary schools and from recommendations from External Agencies. From there, our team provides tailored help with blending and segmenting words—the building blocks of reading.
The Abigail Steele programme is all about giving students the tools they need to succeed, helping them develop strong phonics skills in a way that works for them. It’s part of our wider commitment to making sure every child feels supported, included, and ready to thrive in their learning.
Lexia
We understand that every student learns differently—and we’re here to support them every step of the way. For students who’ve been identified through NGRT baseline assessments, SATS results, transition information from primary schools and from recommendations from External Agencies, but don’t need Phonics intervention, or in addition to the Phonics intervention, we offer the Lexia programme as part of our literacy support.
Lexia helps students build confidence in key areas like word study, grammar, and reading comprehension. What makes it special is its ability to adapt to each student’s needs, creating a personalised learning path that grows with them. Whether it’s strengthening vocabulary or improving understanding, Lexia gives students the tools to succeed.
This programme is just one of the ways we make sure every learner at Thorns gets the right support at the right time, helping them thrive in their reading journey and beyond.
GCSE Support
We also provide tailored small group GCSE support, closely linked to the English curriculum, to support our KS4 students.
Precision Teaching
Precision teaching is a structured teaching method that is designed to support the needs of a child experiencing difficulty with acquiring or maintaining a specific skill. At Thorns, Precision Teaching is typically used to improve the accuracy and fluency of reading and spelling. Precision teaching is often used with children with SEND who have received a dyslexia diagnosis or on the dyslexia pathway who might need additional support. Precision teaching is designed to get students to think quickly until they are able to recall the words almost instinctively. This form of structured teaching intervention is fast-paced and repetitive, and students are timed as to how may words they can read or spell in one minute. Students will learn to read or spell words until they become fluent and confident before moving on to a new focus word/set of words.
Reading Ambassadors
Our Reading Ambassadors work with staff to promote a love of reading at Thorns. Their passion for reading and dedication to promoting a love of books across our school community truly shone through in their applications, making them truly deserving of their roles.
Our ambassadors are working closely with Miss Brown to bring exciting reading opportunities to life. From helping to run the L4L Library and recommending great reads, to planning events and supporting reading initiatives, they’re playing a key role in making reading fun, inclusive, and accessible for everyone. Look out for a range of reviews coming from them soon!
We’ve got lots of exciting plans ahead — and our ambassadors are full of ideas!
TCA Library
Our L4L Library is a cosy and welcoming space that opens every Tuesday, giving students the chance to relax with a good book, explore new genres, or borrow something to enjoy at home. Whether you’re into fantasy, mystery, graphic novels, or real-life stories, there’s always something on the shelves to spark your interest.
If you’re not sure what to read next, our friendly Reading Ambassadors are always on hand to help. They love talking about books and are brilliant at recommending titles based on what you enjoy — whether you’re a keen reader or just getting started.
We also run a termly Book Club, where students can come together to chat about their favourite reads, discover new authors, and share ideas. It’s a great way to connect with others who love reading and to hear different perspectives on the stories we enjoy.
And there’s more to come! We’re hoping to launch a Poetry by Heart club this year — a chance to explore spoken word, learn poems by heart, and maybe even perform them. Keep an eye out for updates!
At Thorns, we believe reading should be fun, inspiring, and something everyone can enjoy. So whether you’re borrowing a book, joining a club, or just popping in for a quiet moment, the L4L Library is here for you.
Reading at Home
Reading at home is one of the most powerful ways to support your child’s learning—and it doesn’t have to be complicated. We encourage families to make reading part of everyday life, helping students build confidence, vocabulary, and a love of stories and ideas. This doesn’t mean they have to read books! Reading is everywhere!
Here are some simple ways to support reading at home:
- Encourage regular reading time: Just 15–20 minutes a day can make a big difference. Whether it’s a novel, magazine, newspaper, or e-book on Sparx Reader, consistency is key.
- Talk about what they’re reading: Ask questions like “What’s happening in the story?” or “What do you think of that character?” This helps with comprehension and critical thinking.
- Let them choose: Giving students the freedom to pick what they read—fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, or articles—can boost motivation and enjoyment.
- Model reading: When young people see adults reading, it reinforces that reading is valuable and enjoyable.
- Use Sparx Reader: Our e-book platform is available to all students and offers a wide range of engaging texts they can access anytime.
Reading at home doesn’t need to feel like homework—it’s about creating space for curiosity, imagination, and growth. If you’d like recommendations or support, get in touch!