In Year 7-9, all students learn an element of grammar, punctuation, or sentence structure in one of their English lessons, with the element being revisited again to ensure understanding. Some may say that teaching grammar doesn’t help students, but often it is the use of outdated techniques that causes it to not be useful. Here at the academy, we are always seeking new ways to make the teaching of grammar interesting and exciting for our students, including the use of games, presentations, and technology.
Students complete an initial quiz in September to test their knowledge; the students are then tested again at the end of Module 3 to see their interim progress, and in Module 6 to track their progress across the year.
In the first year of the programme in 2012, there was clear improvement across all year groups in their knowledge of grammar, with Year 7 gaining 13.5%, Year 8 gaining 12.5%, and Year 9 gaining 14.3%. This has in turn improved our students’ ability to write accurately and see what they need to correct when they proofread their work.