Curriculum Subjects

English

We believe that English is fundamental to learning across every area of the curriculum, and that the ability to speak, listen, read and write is the greatest gift that we can give to the children at our school, allowing them to participate fully as a member of society.  We are providing them with the means to become lifelong learners.

Our Approach to Reading

At Holly Primary we aim to foster a love of reading within every child. We are passionate readers and storytellers and we want to share this love for the written and spoken word with your child. When your child is learning to read there are two crucial things that they need to learn: the sounds represented by written letters and how to blend those sounds together to make words.

Phonics. In daily phonics lessons, our younger children are taught to read letters or groups of letters by saying the sound that they represent. As they learn the sounds, they are taught to blend them together to make words. They very quickly become readers of simple texts and so begin their reading journey.

Shared: Sharing books is a key part of daily school life. The children take part in well-structured teacher-led guided reading, shared reading and independent reading. Their teacher and other adults will also read to them, to bring stories alive whilst modelling reading with expression.

Resources: At Holly Primary we aim to surround the children with hundreds of beautiful books. Each week they will be given books that match their reading ability, which contain just enough challenge to improve their reading without demoralising or demotivating them. Their teacher will regularly review these, with support from home via the reading diaries. They will also select a real book to share at home.

Our Little Free Library

How it Works

As a school we really value the love of Reading. With our local library being closed 3 days a week , we have built a Reading ‘Shed’ which allows children and adults the opportunity to swap books on a regular basis. The idea is simple, just leave a book and take a book. https://littlefreelibrary.org/

Parent Feedback

“Fantastic we have plenty of books to swap even a fair few to gift.”

“We love this idea, we will drop some more in.”

“We could fill a library with all the books we have will downsize our collection and bring them in.”

Welcome to Holly’s Virtual Library – click on either picture to view a PDF with lots of links to online books.

swansea virtual library
Holly Primary School