Building vocabulary

We use research-based evidence to guide and enhance the promotion of literacy across our school. This approach is embedded in initiatives such as our Keyword Kickstart program, as well as a variety of engaging literacy games, all designed to strengthen vocabulary, comprehension, and communication skills. By combining proven strategies with interactive and enjoyable activities, we ensure that literacy development is both effective and motivating for every student.

Our school’s Keyword Kickstart Programme is delivered once a week during form time for each year group, designed to strengthen students’ vocabulary, reading, and writing skills across all subjects. The programme focuses on key literacy activities such as sight word recognition and spelling drills, reading comprehension checks, sentence construction using keywords, cloze exercises, and phonological and morphological awareness.

To deepen understanding, keywords are shared with students at the beginning of each term and clearly displayed in classrooms and revisited throughout the term to promote recall and reinforce learning. This consistent exposure helps students build confidence, improve word recognition, and apply their growing vocabulary in context—supporting success in every area of the curriculum.

Below is an example of a session that is delivered weekly:

Weekly Vocabulary Instruction (Year 7-9 English)

Introduction to Weekly Explicit Vocabulary Instruction (Years 7–9 English)

The explicit teaching of vocabulary forms a central part of our English curriculum from Year 7 to Year 9. Each week, students are introduced to a small set of carefully selected Tier 2 keywords—high-utility words that appear frequently across a range of
texts and subjects but are not commonly used in everyday speech. This structured approach ensures that students build a strong foundation in academic and expressive language, supporting both reading comprehension and written accuracy.
Through direct instruction, discussion, and contextual practice, students explore the meaning, usage, and morphology of each keyword. Lessons include activities that develop understanding of root words, prefixes, and suffixes, as well as opportunities
to apply new vocabulary in guided and independent sentence writing. By engaging with six new words each week, learners gradually extend their working vocabulary, improve their ability to infer meaning from context, and gain confidence in selecting precise language for different purposes and audiences.
This systematic, incremental programme supports language development for all learners, while providing targeted benefits for those with limited vocabulary or additional learning needs. Over time, the consistent exposure and reinforcement of academic language help students to read more fluently, express ideas with greater sophistication, and access complex texts across the curriculum.
The diagram below provides a comprehensive overview of the structure, progression, and key components of the weekly vocabulary instruction implemented: