Literacy skills - the ability to read and write and to receive and communicate ideas verbally - underpins all learning. Children begin school eager to learn these skills and are fascinated by the patterns and intricacies of language. They love listening to stories and finding out new facts and are highly motivated to learn to read their own books and write their own words. And, of course, they love to talk and to share their ideas and opinions with others!

Our English program is designed to maintain and build on this enthusiasm. Our English classes, from Prep to Grade 6, are full of creative, challenging and fun activities designed to teach children both the fundamentals of language (reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation) and the use of language to communicate different kinds of ideas and information to different audiences. In any given week, children across the school can be found reading and writing imaginative stories, diary entries and other factual recounts, descriptions, information posters, newspaper articles, book and film reviews, travel brochures, scientific explanations, poems, plays, advertisements, recipes and instructions, and labels and signs. They will be studying specific authors and the ways different writers use words to convey meaning. They will be learning to discuss and analyse text and language critically, and to relate their learning to personal experience. Older children will be discussing current events and debating contentious topics, while younger children will be participating in classroom share-time and show-and-tell activities. In short, our children will be becoming literate young people, who are confident when reading and writing and articulate when expressing their ideas.

The English program is taught formally in a daily literacy block. As well as the work that is done in this time, our children are supported by our home reading program, parent reading assistance in the early years, library sessions, mentored writing programs and author visits, and participation in a range of activities, including the Premier's Reading Challenge. Individual literacy support is also offered from Grade 1 to those students needing extra help to become independent and confident readers.