Along with Bude Juniors, the school has been developing how it teaches literacy by using the ‘story telling’ technique.
Children learned whole stories using actions and regular re-telling, and then made changes to the story to make it their own, which they practiced by telling their friends.
Bude Infants’ deputy head, Brook Osborne, said: “This means that by the time they come to write, they’re raring to go!”
Teachers marked the children’s writing and suggested ways the pupils could make it even better, and the pupils then made further changes to their stories.
These new versions were told to friends, using story maps, and then they were ready for their Superstar Writer books, which is where pupils were able to write their final ‘superstar’ versions.
Pupils then shared their writing with their friends, and were even able to take it down to Mr Osborne, who gave out special stickers and sometimes set writing challenges to make the stories even better.
The children have enjoyed using the story telling technique, as it meant they knew exactly what they wanted to write before they even started. This meant they could focus on handwriting, punctuation and sentence structure without worrying about what to write.
Mr Osborne added: “Stories are suddenly flowing out of the children — many of our five-year-olds are now writing stories two or three pages in length, and going home able to share the story with their parents ‘off by heart’.”
George Forrest by William Middleton, Year 1 (age six)
“Once upon a time there was a man cald George Forrest who was a famase explorre and plant clectre. He was born in Scotland. On leeving school George Forrest worcd as a cemist. He lurnt to driy plants to make medsuns.
“When his week perunts dide George Forrest dsdid to have a fun adventor to Australia and he fownd lots of peasis of gold and he was offerd a job in the botancl gardns.
“Then he went to China. He went ovr hie mowntains and steaming forests. He tooc pitures of birds. On his 7th exbdishn he died.”
Jack and the Beanstalk by Ruby Lee, Year 1 (age six)
“Once upon a time ther was a boy corld Jack hoo livd in a cotij. They were very poor. So Jack sold the cow for some majicle beens. Jacks mother was cros she froo them owt of the window. Wen Jack woce up he climde the beenstorc he climde throo the clouds wer a giant livd.
“The giant said Fe fi fo fum I smell the blud of an inglish man be he alive or be he ded I will grinde hi bonse to make my bred. Jack wotched as the giant got a hen hoo lade golden eggs and a harp. The giant falld asleep Jack got the hen and the harp. the hen clucd so lowd the giant woke up and chaste Jack.
“Jack was climing down the beenstorc and shouted mother mother get an axe. The giant fell to the grownd and was never seen agen. Jack livd happy ever after. The end.”
Story by Mia Alway, Year 2 (age seven)
“Mia, Rosie and Lucie were the very best of friends. The friends were at home when CLUNK! With a lowd bang and crash the leter box had a leter in it. Mia, Rosie and Lucie all ran to see. “Look!” said Rosie. “That is a letter!” shouted Mia.
“Common lets open it” ixclaimed Lucie. They cerfully opend it with a rip and a scratch. When they got it open they looked at it. It said Dear Rosie, Mia and Lucie please come to my party but no name. “That’s od” thort Lucie. Mia, Rosie and Lucie looked very confusd. “Ho sent it?” said Lucie. “Lets go on an advenchuer!” ixcsitedly said Mia. “Okay” yorned Rosie she must be very tierd. So up the sters they went. They packed there bags to go to there frends homes.
“First they went to Edies home. “Sorry no I didn’t send it” said Edie. Next they went to Sara’s home. “Yes I sent it”…… Mia, Rosie and Lucie were rilly happy. Sara did a little giggle. “Ah ha ha no I was joking” Sara burst into lafter. Mia, Rosie and Lucie folded there arms and walked away to Adas home.
“There were lites. “Lets nock on the door”. As the door opend a balloon came flying out. “You came!” shouted Ada!! “Go in and party!”
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