At King Charles I School, we believe that strong literacy and numeracy skills are the foundation of success in every subject and throughout life. Our curriculum ensures that every student develops the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to access learning, communicate effectively, solve problems and become independent, successful learners.

Language lies at the heart of learning. Through speaking, listening, reading and writing, students develop their thinking, explore new ideas and deepen their understanding of the world around them. These skills are interconnected and are explicitly developed across every area of the curriculum.

Reading remains a central priority because it underpins achievement in all subjects. We are committed to nurturing confident, fluent readers who read widely, think critically and develop a lifelong love of reading. Through dedicated reading lessons in Key Stage 3, high-quality texts across the curriculum, and targeted support and intervention to address identified gaps, our students build the vocabulary, knowledge and confidence that support both academic success and personal growth.

Alongside literacy, we place equal importance on developing strong numeracy. Being numerate is an essential life skill that enables students to interpret information, reason mathematically, solve problems and make informed decisions in everyday life. Secure numeracy also provides the foundation for success across the curriculum, supporting learning in subjects such as science, geography, technology and business, as well as improving future educational and employment opportunities.

Our foundational numeracy curriculum focuses on securing fluency in the essential building blocks of mathematics, including number facts, times tables, calculation methods and mathematical vocabulary. Teachers explicitly check for prior learning, revisit key concepts through regular retrieval practice and break new learning into manageable steps to ensure that all students develop secure understanding before moving on. Where gaps are identified, targeted intervention and carefully planned support help students build confidence and strengthen the fundamental skills needed to access the wider curriculum successfully.

Together, our literacy and numeracy provision equips every student with the essential knowledge and skills to access the full curriculum, think critically, communicate effectively, solve problems with confidence and thrive both in school and beyond.