St Anne’s Catholic Primary School in Liverpool is inspiring other schools in the city with their strong and impactful use of the Chatta approach from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to Year 6.
By integrating Chatta into their daily curriculum, the staff at St Anne’s have made a sustained impact on language learning and development. There has been an emphasis on the modelling of language structures and vocabulary in various contexts, leading to big improvements in children’s outcomes.
Children have shown significant progress in both speaking and writing, as well as heightened levels of engagement, confidence, and subject understanding.
The positive impact of Chatta is evident across all year groups, creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment built on modelling, scaffolding and opportunities for oral composition. The approach has not only enhanced academic performance but also helped develop a strong positive culture of learning and spoken communication among the students.
Below are just a snapshot of examples of the regular Chatta activities taking place in classrooms at St Anne’s:
EYFS
Following a visit to Liverpool Cathedral EYFS children were able to describe some of the features they saw using Chatta.
(Click on the image to view the Chatta board)
Key Stage 1
During Black History month the year 2 class researched the life of Alma Thomas. Chatta was used to collate their findings and provide opportunities for the teacher to model appropriate language and introduce new vocabulary. The children were then prepared to write and produce some wonderful independent biographies.
Chatta is also used to support the retelling of stories from the bible.
Key Stage 2
Chatta has also been used to support children’s consolidation and understanding in science lessons. The Chatta approach has helped children to learn about the impact of plastic on the planet and what we can do to help. This resulted in independent writing that included new and subject-specific vocabulary such as ‘versatile’ and ‘non-biodegradable’.
Working in pairs is central to the success of a Chatta activity. The children in year 5 have benefitted particularly and improved their active listening and communication skills.
Year 6 used Chatta on World Science Day for Peace and Development to construct reports on Climate Change. They also expanded their use of scientific vocabulary when using Chatta to explain the human circulatory system.
Learn more about Chatta’s powerful impact at St Anne’s by reading this case study from the SHINE Trust.
