Literacy (English)

At Bolwarra Primary School we use a structured, evidence-based approach to teaching English. This means your child receives clear, direct, and carefully planned instruction in all the essential skills needed to become a confident reader and writer. We also run small class sizes to ensure every child receives the attention, support, and feedback they need to do their very best.

Reading

Our reading program focuses on the “Big 6” key areas of literacy development:

• Phonological Awareness (hearing and working with sounds in words)

• Phonics (connecting sounds to letters)

• Fluency (reading smoothly and accurately)

• Vocabulary (understanding word meanings)

• Comprehension (understanding what is read)

• Oral Language Development

In Foundation to Grade 2, students are explicitly taught phonics through the Phonics Plus Program. This is a highly structured, step-by-step program that to teaches children learn to read and spell with confidence.

In Grades 3 to 6, students continue building their spelling skills through Spelling Mastery. This program provides clear, structured lessons that support students to become accurate spellers, strong readers, and capable writers.

Writing

Writing lessons follow a carefully sequenced approach. Students begin by learning to construct strong sentences, which form the foundation for all writing. From there, they build towards writing full texts.

Writing is taught across the curriculum and is connected to our picture books, and novel studies. Students are also explicitly taught how to plan, edit, and improve their work — important skills that help them grow as independent writers.

Assessment and Support

We use the DIBELS Data System to regularly monitor student progress in word reading, oral reading fluency, and comprehension. This allows us to track growth, identify areas of need, and respond quickly.

In addition, we conduct regular assessments to ensure we are meeting each child’s individual learning needs. Students who require extra support can access small group instruction or one-on-one assistance through our tutor program. Our goal is to make sure every child receives the right support at the right time to achieve success.