Vocabulary at Combs
 

As a school, we value the importance of vocabulary by making words a priority in our classrooms, empowering our pupils, having fun and enriching the whole school. Our staff ensure to pounce on every opportunity throughout the whole school day, not just in an English lesson starter.

Words and vocabulary are much more than just a piece of the educational jigsaw; words are a constant. Since the beginning of mankind, language and words have evolved with us and are the lifeblood of humanity. Vocabulary surrounds, engulfs and guides us every day; without words we’d be lost.

The great thing about vocabulary is that it is extremely accessible for all pupils – it literally empowers them.  Pupils quickly become adept at using more complex language, varying verbs and adjectives, while developing a greater capacity to show not tell.  Quite quickly, ‘big’ will become ‘enormous’; ‘happy’ will become ‘elated’; and what was once ‘boring’ will become ‘mundane’, even ‘tedious’.

At school, vocabulary impacts on the curriculum because to comprehend what we read, to master mathematics or to make sense of science, geography or art, we must first understand the words that are used and what they mean. Vocabulary is key to learning and progress across the whole curriculum. This is why we begin explicitly teaching vocabulary in our Nursery and Reception classes and right the way through the school.

Every interaction, every conversation, every minute, every lesson, every day is vital – it’s about the sum of all the small parts and valuing the marginal gains of each interaction, taking pride in the micro-victories. We make the most of the time that pupils are with us in school.

Vocabulary in the Curriculum

Cornerstones is the overarching structure that provides the basis for our curriculum. The majority of our subjects follow this scheme and a small number are standalone.

Alongside the High Frequency Words, Common Exception Words, Grammar and Mathematics terminology, the children at Combs vocabulary lists and expectations are planned through the topics that they are taught and updated on their class pages alongside the medium term planning.

Vocabulary lists are also handed out to our parents and displayed around the classrooms for both children and staff to access. We also pride ourselves by displaying 'ambitious vocabulary' lists for adults to access when talking to the children. This ensures that our children are constantly being provided with endless opportunities to build a rich and varied vocabulary word bank.

Although, there are a number of formative and summative assessment systems in place, vocabulary is a key component to assessing the children’s abilities. Teachers use the vocabulary lists as an assessment tool to make sure pupil’s are secure at their age related expectations.