Foundational Skills

“Every strong building begins with solid foundations. At Westbury, we believe that when children are secure in the essential building blocks of learning, they are given the confidence and skills to reach their full potential.”

At Westbury C of E Junior School, we recognise that reading, writing and mathematics are the foundations upon which all future learning is built. Secure foundational skills enable children to access the wider curriculum, develop independence and confidence, and prepare successfully for the next stage of their education.

As a Junior School, children join us from a range of different infant schools and with a variety of previous experiences. We work closely to understand every child's starting point and identify any gaps in their foundational knowledge and skills as quickly as possible.

Our approach to foundational skills is centred around three key areas:

• Reading and Spelling

• Handwriting and Writing

• Mathematical Fluency

Intent

Our intent is to ensure that every child develops the secure foundational skills needed to become a confident, independent and successful learner.

We aim to:

• Ensure that all children can read fluently and confidently so they can access the full curriculum.

• Identify children who have gaps in their reading and spelling knowledge quickly and provide effective support to help them catch up.

• Develop fluent and automatic handwriting so that children can focus their attention on the quality and content of their writing.

• Build strong mathematical fluency, including rapid recall of key number facts and multiplication tables.

• Ensure that disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and those who enter our school with gaps receive the support they need to succeed.

• Give children the knowledge, confidence and independence they need to progress successfully through Key Stage 2 and beyond.

We believe that strong foundations create confident learners. By securing these essential skills, children are better able to flourish across the entire curriculum.

Implementation

Foundational skills are given a high priority at Westbury and are built directly into our school timetable. We recognise that children need regular, purposeful practice in order to develop automaticity and confidence.

Alongside high-quality teaching in school, we believe that practising these important skills at home helps children to strengthen and embed their learning. Our homework expectations support our foundational skills approach, with children encouraged to read regularly and practise their multiplication tables at home.

Children are recognised and celebrated for their commitment to developing these essential skills, including reading four times each week and regularly completing their times tables practice.

Reading and Spelling

We use Sounds-Write to support the development of reading, spelling and phonics knowledge across Key Stage 2.

Sounds-Write lessons take place at least three times each week in every class and are built into our school timetable. This provides children with regular opportunities to revisit and secure the knowledge needed for both reading and spelling.

Children who require additional support are identified through assessment, teacher knowledge and diagnostic checks. Our lowest-attaining readers receive carefully targeted support to help them catch up and develop greater confidence and fluency.

Reading at home is an important part of our approach. Children are expected to bring their reading book and reading record into school each day, allowing teachers to monitor and celebrate regular reading. We celebrate children who read four times or more each week, recognising the important role that regular reading plays in developing confident and fluent readers.

Handwriting and Writing

We are introducing Kinetic Letters as our approach to developing handwriting across the school.

We recognise that fluent handwriting is an important foundation for successful writing. When letter formation and handwriting become increasingly automatic, children are able to devote more attention to vocabulary, sentence construction and communicating their ideas.

Kinetic Letters provides a structured and consistent approach to handwriting and supports children in developing the physical and cognitive skills required for fluent writing.

Handwriting practice is built into our school timetable, ensuring that children have regular and purposeful opportunities to develop confidence, fluency and legibility. We want children to take pride in their handwriting and the presentation of their work across the curriculum.

Mathematical Fluency

Mathematical fluency is developed through regular practice and opportunities to revisit and apply key mathematical knowledge.

Mathematical fluency is built into our school timetable, with regular opportunities for children to practise and revisit essential knowledge and skills. Children practise multiplication tables regularly, with clear progression across the school. Year 3 and Year 4 follow structured plans to ensure that multiplication knowledge is taught and revisited systematically.

Arithmetic is interwoven throughout our mathematics curriculum, enabling children to develop accuracy, confidence and automatic recall of important number facts and procedures.

We have also begun our journey with KS2 Mastering Number, further strengthening our approach to mathematical fluency. Through this programme, we are continuing to develop children's confidence, flexibility and automaticity when working with number.

Children are also expected to practise their multiplication tables at home as part of their homework. Regular engagement with times tables practice is recognised and celebrated, helping children to understand the importance of practising key skills both in school and at home.

We also use appropriate technology to support learning, including preparing Year 4 pupils for the Multiplication Tables Check.

Impact

Through our focus on foundational skills, we want every child to develop the confidence and knowledge needed to access the full curriculum and achieve their potential.

We expect to see:

• Children reading with increasing fluency, accuracy and confidence.

• Increased engagement with reading at home, with more children reading regularly throughout the week.

• Children who experience difficulties with reading and spelling receiving effective support and making strong progress.

• Children developing fluent, legible handwriting and taking greater pride in the presentation of their work.

• Children becoming increasingly independent and confident writers.

• Improved recall of multiplication tables and key mathematical facts.

• Children demonstrating increased confidence, flexibility and fluency when working with number.

• Greater confidence when applying mathematical knowledge to reasoning and problem-solving.

• Children recognising the importance of practising foundational skills both at school and at home.

• Reduced barriers to learning for disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and those who enter the school with gaps in their learning.

• Children who are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Ultimately, our ambition is simple:

Strong foundations give children the building blocks they need to learn, grow and shine.

By developing secure skills in reading, writing and mathematics, we give our children the strongest possible foundation from which to Inspire, Care and Respect themselves and others, allowing every child to truly Let their Light Shine.

Click here to view our Handwriting Policy