If a child has confidence in English, that has benefits for him or her in all other subjects at school. So, a fundamental aim of the teaching of English is to instil the confidence to enable a child to stand up in public and speak to a crowd, to write interesting and imaginative stories, and to express an opinion, which is not just an echo of someone else's idea. And, in parallel, to discover the pleasure of reading broadly and fluently.

Enthusiastic teaching is the key to all this and, at Abberley, the children are privileged to be taught by a variety of staff, exposing them to different areas of special interest and emphasis. The curriculum is based on the syllabus for the Common Entrance examination, or the various Scholarship requirements. But it is sufficiently flexible to allow staff to express their individuality.

The staff meet on a regular basis to exchange ideas, to discuss the minutiae of handwriting, new books for children to read, etc. This sharing of ideas nurtures a lively approach to the teaching.

At Abberley, particular importance is given to reading. For example, the boarders have half an hour to read before they go to sleep at night, in the hope of starting a habit which will last them a lifetime. The timetable includes regular periods set aside for quiet reading during the school day. The well-stocked Library is regularly updated with new publications. In addition to books and magazines, it contains a lively selection of tapes and music/spoken word CDs. In the winter terms there is a regular story telling session.

Every term there is a large Book Fair for the whole school when an outside bookshop visits the school for a day. We also have visits from well-known children's authors who hold workshops for the children: for example, recent visitors have included Nigel Hinton, Jamela Gavin and Caroline Lawrence.

The children's reading is monitored carefully by English staff and individual help is given when necessary. It is recognised that some children need extra help and specialist tuition is available from the Learning Support Department, which has strong links with the English staff.

Handwriting is specifically taught during the first two years and, thereafter, children are encouraged to develop a stylish and legible hand as they progress through the school. We strike a balance between developing secretarial skills and encouraging creativity. Weekly spelling tests are given throughout the school. Regular exercises help to develop skills in comprehension and in punctuation.

We encourage the children to express themselves with originality and to gain experience of a variety of forms of poetry and prose.

Children are taken to a huge variety of plays or author visits during their time at Abberley, with one theatre trip being made each term.

Speaking and listening form an important part of English lessons. All children take part in annual competitions in prose, poetry and the making and delivering of speeches. The resultant ability to talk to a group is a useful skill whatever one's chosen career. Children gain similar experience from reading the lessons in Chapel.

Learning Support

Class work, previous assessment or school assessment often identifies pupils who have a profile of Specific Learning Difficulty or those who simply need a little extra input to achieve their full potential. Pupils may have difficulty with organisation, spelling, reading, study skills, time management or maths, possibly resulting from short term memory problems or speed of processing. Expert help is available from tutors qualified in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia). The Learning Support Team liaise closely with all departments as well as parents and can carry out assessments and advise on further assessment by an Educational Psychologist or other professionals. These lessons are on an individual basis and are charged as extra