A key foundation of this is the language and literacy curriculum which seeks to ensure that our students develop the skills they need to engage with the academic curriculum itself and the language and literacy needs of the world outside school.
The Language and Literacy Strategy of the Waltham Forest Free School will be founded on the principle of “the more you practice, the better you get” with students being given structured opportunities to deliberately practice language and literacy skills in all their lessons. Professional development will ensure that teachers are well equipped to ensure students make progress in language and literacy and six week cycle curriculum plans will identify opportunities for learning of these skills in each subject area.
Critical thinking skills are an integral part of the language and literacy curriculum, teaching our young people how to critically analyse and evaluate the views of others to distinguish between fact and bias by considering the beliefs and intentions that underlie what they are told.
As the language and literacy curriculum will be embedded into the teaching of every subject, all teachers will be equipped to deliver critical thinking skills and opportunities to develop these skills will be woven into the six week programmes of learning.
The school will seek to develop students’ skills to interrogate and challenge information presented to them from a variety of sources, including opinions or behaviours which are either discriminatory or run contrary to fundamental British values.