How Pathways to Write and Read works for International Schools

Lisa began her career as a teaching assistant in Cheshire West and Chester before completing her school-based teacher training. During this time, she undertook her English training with us and her passion for literature shone through then. Lisa has stayed connected with us ever since, continuing to attend training and refine her practice over the years.

That passion has now travelled with her to Dubai where The English College is fortunate to have her as a Year 6 teacher and Primary English Lead. In this blog, Lisa reflects on her first year in post: stepping into an international school with a UK curriculum, listening deeply to staff and pupils, and introducing Pathways to Write and Pathways to Read in a way that builds consistency while celebrating creativity.

It’s a thoughtful, uplifting insight into the school’s journey towards highly effective and consistent practice within a context that is not only multilingual but also richly culturally diverse.

The Context of the School:

Stepping into The English College in 2024 as a Year 6 teacher and Primary English Lead was both exciting and humbling. I arrived with experience as an English Lead in the UK and plenty of ideas, but I was mindful not to rush change. Writing had already been identified as a whole-school focus, so my first priority was to understand what was really happening in classrooms and, most importantly, to listen.

Working in a UK curriculum school in Dubai brings a unique and vibrant context. Our pupils are internationally minded, multilingual and bring rich experiences to the classroom. At the same time, staff highlighted that, while there was lots of great practice, there wasn’t always a shared sense of structure in how writing was taught across the school. Colleagues spoke about wanting clearer progression, common end goals and supportive moderation materials to help build consistency – not to replace creativity, but to give it a strong, shared framework.

That’s where Pathways to Write (P2W) and Pathways to Read (P2R) came in. Having worked with Linda at The Literacy Company for many years in the UK, I knew the quality and integrity of the units. I also knew that, if introduced thoughtfully and adapted slightly to reflect our international context, they could offer exactly the balance we were looking for: high-quality texts, purposeful outcomes and clear teaching sequences, while still leaving room for teacher flair and pupil voice.

Implementation

Implementation has been a real team journey. We began with “Back to School” immersion inset days, giving staff time to explore the texts, unpick the units and experience some of the activities as learners. Since then, our “Sit and Sip” 1:1 planning sessions have become a favourite part of my role – informal, collaborative spaces to brainstorm ideas, tweak lessons and build confidence. Alongside this, we’ve held moderation meetings, carried out learning walks with supportive feedback, and completed book looks that celebrate bright spots as well as identify next steps. The aim has always been to nurture the already incredibly creative practice in school, not to constrain it.

Classrooms across the primary phase are rich with vocabulary displays, working walls and immersive text-based environments. From drama and role play to debate and shared writing, you can feel the buzz around books and language. Pupils are not just writing more – they are writing with clearer purpose, deeper understanding of genre and growing pride.

Continuous Support

Our partnership with The Literacy Company has been invaluable in this international setting. Linda’s two-day visit in October as a progress check-in gave us reassurance, practical next steps and a real sense of being supported rather than inspected. Having that external expertise, grounded in UK curriculum knowledge but responsive to our context, has made a huge difference.

Most recently, our “Sit and Sip” conversations have reflected a noticeable shift. As we complete our third unit of the year, staff are feeling more confident with the structure, more excited about upcoming units and more secure in what good writing progression looks like. There’s a shared language developing across the school, and with it, a shared optimism about the progress we hope to see by the end of the academic year.

This journey has been about building consistency with care; it’s a joy to see it taking root.