Wyndham Primary Academy is in an inner-city school in an area of high deprivation. However, it refuses to let this be a barrier for its pupils. The school has adopted an English mastery curriculum, which means the class text changes half-termly. Each child is given their own copy of the book, which they keep and share with adults at home. The class book, specifically chosen to broaden children’s experiences, vocabulary and knowledge, is used as a hook for all learning experiences across the curriculum. 

Oracy runs like a golden thread through the curriculum, with mysterious UFO sightings being reported in the school’s newsroom, and pupils commentating on Quidditch matches played at the school using Wyndham’s radio station.

As a result of Wyndham’s whole-school approach, by the end of Year 6 reading and writing attainment exceeded the national standard - reading was 81 per cent compared with 71 per cent nationally, and writing was 84 per cent compared with 76 per cent nationally. 

The lead judge commented: “Wyndham Primary Academy’s English department is a close-knit and highly inventive team. They are rightly proud of the time and resources they not only put into their pupils, but also into their staff’s professional development; and all the time they prioritise learning, and a love of reading and writing. Their work is evidence-informed, their planning collaborative and rigorous. Their commitment unstinting. This is a team at the top of their game, dedicated to excellence, to innovation, to partnerships and to improving the life chances of all their pupils.”

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