At Pear Tree High School, we recognise that language is the foundation for learning, communication and independence. Elevation Tiered Vocabulary is our whole-school approach to developing student's understanding and use of language across the curriculum. The initiative has been designed to ensure that vocabulary teaching is purposeful, consistent and accessible, enabling every pupil to encounter, understand and use increasingly rich language throughout their time at Pear Tree.
Elevation is informed by research into robust vocabulary instruction. Their approach identifies different tiers of vocabulary, recognising that some words are encountered frequently in everyday life, while others require more deliberate and explicit teaching. Research also highlights the importance of giving pupils repeated opportunities to encounter and use newly taught vocabulary in meaningful contexts.
How does Elevation work?
Our approach organises language into a clear and consistent structure. Core Words provide a permanent foundation of highly useful communication vocabulary and remain consistent throughout the year. Tier 1 Words are familiar, everyday words connected to pupils' learning, while Tier 2 , our 'Golden Words', are carefully selected, high-utility words that can be applied across different subjects and contexts. Tier 3 Words are more specialised words linked directly to a particular subject or curriculum topic.
Vocabulary is carefully selected according to students' developmental and communication needs. This means that students are appropriately challenged while the language remains meaningful, accessible and relevant. As students progress through school, their vocabulary offer develops alongside them, with increasingly sophisticated Golden Words supporting thinking, discussion, independence and, ultimately, preparation for adulthood.
Designed to make a difference
Elevation has been designed to make vocabulary visible, memorable and usable. The same structure and visual identity are used across subjects, classrooms and curriculum resources, helping pupils recognise how language connects across their learning. Staff explicitly model vocabulary, explain words in accessible ways and create regular opportunities for pupils to hear, explore and use them. This reflects wider evidence that effective vocabulary development involves both explicit teaching and repeated opportunities to encounter and use words in different contexts.
For our students, the intended impact reaches far beyond simply learning new words. A richer vocabulary supports pupils to understand instructions, access the curriculum, express their ideas, communicate their needs, participate in discussion and become increasingly independent. By creating a shared language across the whole school, Elevation aims to remove barriers to learning and give every student the vocabulary they need not only for the classroom, but for life beyond Pear Tree.
Click here to read the Parent/Carer Elevation Handbook