WORD UP is our annual literary festival. It's the time of the year when we focus really intensively on acquiring new vocabulary, developing our speaking and listening skills, rocking on with our reading and being wonderful writers. Word Up experiences are for every child in the school from 2 years - 11 years and the children truly love it.

WORD UP lasts for 8-10 weeks and takes us through the very cold and sometimes difficult winter months. In addition to their normal curriculum, children's literacy skills are enhanced and enriched in many different ways. They experience storytelling sessions and drama workshops, they meet authors and presenters, singers and podcasters, adventurers and broadcasters. Inspirational people who use their literacy skills in different ways but all who share a positive attitude towards learning, the use of language in their lives and a really hard work ethic. Children take part in word challenges, story-writing competitions and poetry slams, experience theatre shows either our school theatre or within the local community. 

WORD UP takes place every year and is a huge feature within our schools. It really accelerates learning and develops a true love of reading, writing and language within the children. 

Some views from our staff on the impact of Word Up

"Word Up always brings the school together"

"Word Up is a great tool in pushing the youngest of children to do more in their learning. They were engrossed in the themes and the story and the characters for the whole term!"

"The children's ability to chat, converse and discuss has really improved"

"Word Up bought a exceptional level of energy to the kids - I heard kids say "this is the best day ever" "I love school so much" "I was a hunky dory kid today"

"Mixed reading sessions with our older children reading to or listening to younger readers was a joy to see"

"The range of visiting authors, storytellers, poets, drama workshops and visitors really captivated the children - they were able to remember small details from their experiences"

"Impact on my learners vocabulary and word acquisition has been significant. They are using better quality and latger variety of words in their speech and in their writing"

"The enthusiasm to learn this term has been off the scale!"

"The children in my Y2 class have been REALLY happy"

"It's been a great vehicle in teaching the children new everday vocabulary eg platform, kiosk" from the weekly photos from different settings"

"The show...WOW! What an experience for the children!"

What the children say about Word Up

"Word Up Days have been wonderful"

"I just love Word Up...so much"

"The Colour Rangers are the best and I saw DJ Juice  and I loved Miss Hindle's storytime"

"It was so exciting when DJ Juice revealed herself"

"My favourite part was working hard"

"We all worked together to help the world be better"

"I love having a doodle book and I loved the messages and all the things inside the Hunky Dory Boxes"

"I worked really hard on my reading and won a book token for the vending machine" 

"I know how to make the down cloud go away"

"Writing, Reading, Talking and Drawing are all FUN!"

"This was my last Word Up - I feel really sad that it is over and I know that when I'm in Y7 learning will be very different. I really feel that I have improved in my spoken skills and also in my reading and writing. I have read 20 books in 10 weeks!"