English

English is the basis of much of the curriculum at High March.

Our emphasis is firmly on confidence and clarity in handling the language, both when speaking and when writing, as language is fundamental to thinking. A varied programme of study enables each child to reach her full potential in reading, writing, speaking and listening. The girls’ progress is carefully monitored to ensure that work is suitable for their ability. From Year 2 upwards, the School participates in an online Accelerated Reader programme, so that a girl can read a book appropriate to her ability, take an online quiz on it, and receive immediate feedback on her performance.

Girls progress through the different levels of reading, gaining confidence and acquiring literacy skills which they can apply to their own writing. Girls are able to visit the Library at lunchtime and may also use the Library for some lessons. There is a structured in-house spelling scheme and, again, girls are able to learn at a level appropriate to them within the scheme. With a view to senior school entrance, the girls are encouraged with plenty of vocabulary building work and practice for the various entrance examinations and scholarships.

Creative writing is a strength at High March and girls display their stories and poems enthusiastically around the School and in the School Magazine.

Poetry is highly valued as part of the curriculum and the girls are provided with plenty of opportunities to read, recite and analyse poetry, as well as creating their own poems. In Year 5, pupils are invited to participate in the Del Anderson Poetry Scholarship.

To help develop writing for pleasure, we look for exciting ways to enrich the curriculum. This may be through author visits, entering local and national competitions, an annual Book Week and Spelling Bee and, of course, relevant educational visits. Past visits have included The Globe Theatre, the Roald Dahl Museum and various theatre productions.

When High March girls move on to their senior schools, we hope to have given them the skills to tackle the academic challenges senior schools bring, a positive attitude to the subject and a life-long love of reading and writing.