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Language

Language at Dene Magna covers reading, writing and speaking skills. In order to ensure our students achieve their maximum potential and enjoy the process, their language skills are key; not only to access the curriculum but also to succeed and thrive in life after Dene Magna. 

We challenge our students to get the best education they possibly can, go out and experience the world and bring back their expertise to share with future generations in our community. This would be impossible without good language skills. 

At Dene Magna, language is every teacher's responsibility. All staff regularly take part in training to support language in their respective subject areas. 

Please find a copy of the Trust's policy as a PDF at the bottom of this page.  

KS5

All KS5 students have access to:

  • High quality teaching and learning;
  • The Dene Magna library which currently holds over 10,000 books;
  • The Gloucester College library;
  • JStor;
  • An online bank of subject specific secondary reading;
  • Video masterclasses to aid EPQ and other academic studies;
  • A range of extra-curricular activities including: Dene Magna's Literature Festival, World Book Day, Cheltenham Literature Festival, author visits, Mitcheldean Poetry Festival and many more.

All KS5 students should:

  • Take ownership over their own independent learning;
  • Continue to read for at least 15 minutes a day;
  • Use iStudy to read around their subjects as well as to complete classwork. 

KS4

All KS4 students have access to: 

  • High quality teaching and learning;
  • Subject-specific interventions to support disciplinary writing skills;
  • #SPAG.  A weekly set of subject-specific vocabulary which students test themselves on. An average score is used to contribute towards the House Cup;
  • Word of the week. Which allows students to develop their spoken and written vocabulary; 
  • Weekly grammar tasks; 
  • Training to become a reading buddy to a KS3 student; 
  • The school library which currently holds over 10,000 books; 
  • A range of extra-curricular activities including: Dene Magna's Literature Festival, World Book Day, Young Writer's competitions, Cheltenham Literature Festival, author visits (such as Chris Bradford and others), Mitcheldean Poetry Festival and many more.

All KS4 students should:

  • Continue to read for at least 15 minutes a day. 

KS3

All KS3 students have access to:

  • High quality teaching and learning;
  • #SPAG.  A weekly set of subject-specific vocabulary which students test themselves on. An average score is used to contribute towards the House Cup;
  • Word of the week. Which allows students to develop their vocabulary; 
  • Weekly grammar tasks; 
  • Spellzone which supports their spelling and grammar skills, to allow them to become more able and accurate writers;
  • Accelerated Reader which measures reading ages and allows students to take interactive quizzes to test their comprehension of texts. All quizzes taken also contribute to the House Cup;
  • Additional reading intervention through a reading buddies scheme or small group interventions with a Teaching Assistant (these students are selected based on their Accelerated Reader data); 
  • Regular library lessons. Once a fortnight each KS3 class spends an hour in the library and will have access to our stock of over 10,000 books;
  • BookBuzz. In year 7, every student receives a free book, through the BookBuzz scheme;
  • Opportunities for silent reading. Each Thursday and at the start of every English lesson each KS3 student completes 10 minutes of silent reading. Also, in 2022/2023 we will be introducing a tutor time reading scheme for a trial period;
  • Opportunities for public speaking. Each year students are given the chance to take part in FameLab and the Cheltenham Literature Festival's Battle of the Books;
  • A range of extra-curricular activities including: Dene Magna's Literature Festival, World Book Day, Young Writer's competitions, Cheltenham Literature Festival, author visits (such as Chris Bradford and others), Mitcheldean Poetry Festival and many more.

As well as this, KS3 students should: 

  • Always have a reading book as a part of their equipment;
  • Read for at least 15 minutes a day. 
  1. Forest of Dean Trust Language Policy

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