English/Literacy Co-Ordinator

Questions on this topic? Just ask!

The Primary English Encyclopedia: The Heart of the Curriculum, Third Edition

See also art and English, assessment, audit, core books, Design and Technology and English, displays, drama and English, early years, enabling adult, English language policy and equal opportunities, geography and English, history and English, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and English, Junior Years language and literacy, Literacy Time, mathematics and English, National Curriculum, parents and families, phonics, physical education and English, planning, Primary Language Record, reading, reading corner/area, record keeping, religious studies and English, science and English, speaking and listening, writing, writing area/corner

The large number of ‘See also’ entries indicates that the responsibilities of the English Co-ordinator or Subject Manager take in every aspect of language, learning and literacy.

Co-ordinating English is a huge brief, not only are co-ordinators concerned with language and literature in English lessons, but they also reach out to the language activities – speaking and listening, reading and writing – which make possible learning across the whole curriculum.

There have always been positions of responsibility for subject areas in the primary school, often referred to as ‘scale posts’ in the past. Now the expectations resting on all subject co-ordinators have been formalised and their wide-ranging nature made explicit. The tasks involved are nearly always in addition to those of class teaching.

Although it is a demanding one, the role has many satisfactions: seeing children across the whole school develop as language users; convincing children of the pleasure of reading and producing their own stories and factual accounts; selecting a whole range of exciting resources whether print or electronic; supporting students and probationer colleagues as well as collaborating with all the teachers to help them become excellent practitioners; reaching out to parents and the wider community.

Four core areas of responsibility for subject co-ordinators can be identified: strategic direction and development of the subject; teaching and learning; leading and managing staff; efficient and effective deployment of staff and resources.

Each of these contains many familiar tasks and so here I have selected some which seem to me of particular importance. My account draws on the analysis of Waters and Martin (1999), Chapter 2: ‘Being a Co-ordinator’.

This aspect of the Co-ordinator’s role is to do with putting in place policies and practices to promote good planning and resourcing, staff confidence in teaching the subject, regular analysis of data to monitor progress, set targets and achieve improvement. By creating a sound global framework, Co-ordinator and teachers can then turn with confidence to developing specific aspects of teaching and learning.

There needs to be good coverage, continuity and progression and this involves co-ordinators and their colleagues knowing what the National Curriculum English programmes require and about the guidance in the Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics. I believe the most successful co-ordinators interpret and implement formal requirements in a way that serves the needs of the pupils and teachers in their school. Then there is the huge task of assessment and record keeping to attend to. This must be coherent and systematic, easily manageable and integrated into the teaching cycle. The Co-ordinator’s task here also involves initiating and maintaining good communication with parents and the wider community and encouraging their involvement.

This includes communicating with senior management and other subject co-ordinators and supporting all teachers, not least newly appointed and student teachers, in their professional development. Co-ordinators are more likely to succeed if they build an atmosphere of cooperation and trust and deal sensitively with cases where a teacher has to improve an aspect of their practice. The ‘audit’ entry gives an example of a co-ordinator showing how we meet the requirements for teaching reading while it still remains an enjoyable and life enhancing experience for children and teacher (Tyrrell and Gill, 2000).

Co-ordinators need to establish staffing and resource needs, including those to carry out the priorities in the development plan. These needs have to be costed and communicated to senior managers and a share of the school’s overall budget negotiated.

Performing well in all of these areas requires organisational, management and motivational skills as well as a great deal of professional and subject knowledge about language and literature. I have formed my own view over the years of what characterises the above average English Co-ordinator. Certainly those who command most respect are themselves excellent practitioners – models of how to plan, resource, organise and evaluate their lessons and to inspire their pupils (Medwell et al., 1998; Myers and Burnett, 2004). We are more likely to take notice of what someone advises or demonstrates if we have been impressed by the fruits of their endeavours! I also find teachers are more eager and able to follow an English policy or strive to meet the demands of a development plan if they have been involved at every stage in its creation. Finally, and I have said this before, the Co-ordinator that can energise the other teachers by their enthusiasm, good humour and genuine concern for the progress of both colleagues and children, is of great value to any primary school.

Medwell, Jane et al. (1998) Effective Teachers of Literacy London: Teacher Training Agency.

Merchant, Guy and Marsh, Jackie (2000) Co-ordinating Primary Language and Literacy London: Paul Chapman.

Myers, J. and Burnett, C. (2004) Teaching English 3–11. London: Continuum.

Tyrrell, Jenny and Gill, Narinderjit (2000) Co-ordinating English at Key Stage 1 London: Falmer Press.

Waters, Mick and Martin, Tony (1999) Co-ordinating English at Key Stage 2 London: Falmer Press.

This is the complete article, containing 920 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page).

View More Summaries on English studies