It is a remarkable fact that English is used in one form or other by a third of the world’s population. If nothing else, this demonstrates that the English language has been flexible for different places and cultures. Of course, within England itself, there are many regional dialects as well as vocabulary and phrases which express the character for that part of the country. More generally, there are styles which have taken hold and crossed international boundaries, e.g. lyrics in American Rap music.

This is nothing new and it is important that children at school learn to appreciate the beauty of the English language and recognise that it does evolve over time which means that new expressions – ‘omnishambles’ – are added to the dictionary. In 1809 George Andrewes published a dictionary on vocabulary used by the criminal fraternity.¹ Many of the expressions sound rather quaint today: lully-priggers (linen-thieves), dragsmen (vehicle-thieves) or ken-crackers (house-breakers). One wonders if phrases such as ‘to google it’ will sound equally quaint to the ears of future generations?

Do pupils really need to acquire the skills of having legible handwriting with accurate spelling? Some commentators suggest that with the rise of the ubiquitous electronic pad such skills will become redundant.

This is simply not the case. Pupils must learn to express themselves clearly and this can be done most effectively if they adhere to the traditional rules for spelling, grammar and punctuation. It is true that certain rules can pass away through disuse, e.g. the split infinitive. However, whilst texting does encourage children to communicate succinctly and at great speed, the heavy reliance on acronyms with little regard for punctuation can undermine pupils’ work in class.

At Cranmore School we put great value in the importance of clear, written English in our pupils’ work from a relatively young age. We believe firmly that they derive great benefits, not only in English lessons but in all aspects of the curriculum where extended writing is important. There was a fad in education at one time which suggested that pupils’ work should never be ‘contaminated’ through numerous corrections with a red pen. This proved to be a cul de sac in which pupils had little opportunity to improve as they were only being judged on content and not on the quality of their presentation.
Cranmore has embraced modern technology including iPads and other devices. However, like all good schools, we have been careful that these tools do not erode the fundamental importance of handwriting with due attention to spelling, grammar and punctuation. One can only be dismayed by the stories in the press about university departments having to offer basic literacy courses as some school-leavers are ill-equipped to pursue a degree course with a high literary element.

While the emphasis might be on written English, at Cranmore we provide many opportunities for children to engage in public speaking, assembly presentations and even formal debates. We have found that this boosts their confidence and pupils who may have been rather reticent by nature become more than happy to become a candidate for our school council. We know employers want bright, enthusiastic, articulate people in their organisation and it is the responsibility of schools to rise to this challenge to ensure all pupils leave school with the essential skills.

Finally, a word about teachers. The national press recently published a story about a London Academy which had ‘out-sourced’ the reports written by teachers for checking as the teachers did not have the prerequisite skills to ensure these reports would be satisfactory. This is the legacy of having a cohort of teachers who did not receive a good grounding in English when they themselves were pupils. Let us hope that through a rigorous programme for literacy today’s pupils will never end up in such a compromising situation in their professional careers.

¹ Crystal, David Evolving English – One language, Many Voices p.68 [The British Library, 2010]

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Cranmore School has recently announced a programme of change to transform it into a fully co-educational school for pupils aged two and a half to thirteen years. It is committed to providing a balanced curriculum which can develop each child’s potential. This includes a Forest School so that the youngest pupils from the nursery onwards can experience real ‘outdoors education’.
Telephone: 01483 280340
Website: www.cranmoreprep.co.uk