Writing

Intent

We aim to provide our children with the necessary skills to gain knowledge, information and enjoyment through high quality texts, which in turn will enable them to express themselves clearly and effectively through their writing. Quality texts provide the backdrop for children to develop their writing skills, again through targeted, progressive sequences of learning. Texts are used to demonstrate examples of different types of writing and to inspire children to develop their own writing styles and voices. We believe that all of our children are entitled to have access to quality, age-appropriate texts, which can provide windows for children to experience what is beyond their immediate surroundings, thus promoting respect and tolerance both towards each other, and for cultures and beliefs beyond what they experience in their own lives. We also believe in providing all children with the experiences of being writers who can communicate clearly and effectively to their audience. Through our English curriculum, children should feel a sense of adventure, excitement and develop a love of language that will support them in becoming proficient communicators of the future.

Implementation

Our curriculum plan consists of progression documents for writing which build upon the skills outlined in the National Curriculum, as well as showing progression through the choice of texts to support skills required for writing: in particular, the grammar punctuation and spelling (GPS) elements. These documents are bespoke to our school, and the texts have been carefully considered specifically for our children. These documents are shared and used by all teachers across the school who all share the same value of providing every child with the opportunity and skills to build upon their knowledge and understanding throughout their Primary and Secondary schooling.

Early writing begins as part of the Phonics teaching in EYFS. Children begin by making the shapes of letters using a kinetic approach, such as sand trays and water and then move onto creating these shapes whilst mastering the pencil grip. Writing begins as single words based on the phonic teaching and is built upon to create single sentences. For those who are ready, children are then challenged to generate more sentences based around the phonics they have previously learnt. Children are offered multiple opportunities to write independently through continuous provision and other learning experiences.

From Year1, writing is taught through three-part learning journeys: Stimulate and Generate; Capture, Sift and Sort; and Create, Refine and Evaluate. Texts have been selected by the English Writing Lead and, where possible, link in to the topic being studied in the wider curriculum to allow easier links to be made and for the children to be absorbed more comfortably into contextually unfamiliar settings. For each new learning journey, a cover sheet is presented in the book which covers the main elements that will be taught. Within the first part (stimulate & generate), children will use the text to read as a reader. It is primarily focussed to reading skills, as the children use the text to explore its elements. Within this part of the journey, tasks can also be created which will feed into the final piece of writing. During this phase, children will be given the opportunity to write a Site of Application. This is a piece of writing within the context of the text being studied; this will be a genre previously learnt from the previous learning journey. This provides the children with the opportunity of applying their knowledge and understanding to a different context.

Following this, the children then explore the Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (G.P.S) skills required in the ‘Capture, Sift & Sort’ stage. The activities and learning for this are derived from the text itself to both reduce cognitive overload for the children and to also ensure that their learning is in context. During this stage, children are exposed to at least one WAGOLL which will be specifically designed to inspire and provide a modelled example of the requirements which are being asked of the children. This might be in the context of the children’s writing or reference to a different topic. Children will also be given the opportunity to write an apprentice section of their writing to be assessed, either teacher or peer/self, in preparation for the final piece.

The final stage, ‘Create, Refine and Evaluate,’ is where the children produce their final piece of writing. This comprises time to allow the children to edit, a skill which is explicitly taught, self or peer assessed against the agreed success criteria, and to then further edit as required. Editing can take place through using purple polishing pens and/or editing slips. This also provides further teaching and learning time where edits can be guided by a teacher to address any misconceptions.

Each year group has a writing journey overview. This is a working document which provides each year group with the texts to be used as text drivers and the skills which will be taught through this journey. Each Learning Journey has the following elements: Purpose (the reason the children are doing the writing – Persuade, Inform, Entertain and Discuss), Audience (who the writing is intended for), Form (what the writing will actually be e.g. a letter, diary etc) and Effect on the Reader (how the reader should feel when reading the text). It also states what the Site of Application will be. This document is reviewed and updated on a yearly basis to address the needs of specific cohorts or to ensure we are constantly using the best selection of texts.

Handwriting:

Handwriting is taught through Kinetic Letters. All staff across the school have received training in this. The programme has four main threads which run through it:

• Making bodies stronger – ensuring children are physically developmentally ready to write by introducing positions and movements which improve their upper body strength (powerpack) and their body support (the girdle).
• Holding the pencil (for speed, comfort and legibility) – Ensuring that children have mastered the three-finger pencil grip which allows maximum manipulation of the writing utensil
• Learning the letters – the letters are learnt in families based around their common features e.g those which have descenders.
• Flow and fluency   - letters are learnt as movements not as visual shapes

The Kinetic Letters programme commences in Reception and is used throughout the School.  By Year 2, children will be starting to use some of the strokes needed to join letters. Handwriting practice takes place in sessions that are outside English and Phonics lessons, since handwriting underpins the majority of curriculum areas and is integral to self-esteem.

Pupils in EYFS and KS1 will spend at least 20 minutes daily on activities that are part of the Kinetic Letters programme.  Handwriting is taught in discrete sessions, separate from Phonics.  Thereafter time allocation to maintain handwriting development and increase speed and flow, will be regular but at the discretion of the class teacher so long as appropriate progression continues to be made. Handwriting practice takes place on the 6-lined (or 3-lined or 9-lined if appropriate) Kinetic Letters white boards, with a transition to books via the “practice patch”. The majority of the time, sessions are taught to the whole class with differentiated targets; reinforcement may take place in small groups and/or individually. In Key Stage 2, children will spend approximately 20 minutes three times weekly on discrete handwriting sessions.

At the start of the year, all children are assessed for their handwriting requirements and pencil grip. Targets are given and referred back to. During the sessions weekly planning, assessment takes place constantly, both from the teacher and additional adults in the classroom.

Kinetic Letters is appropriate for all ages, including those children with SEND requirements, such as Dyslexia. The planning progresses through each year group and is matched to National Curriculum requirements.

Writing Journeys

Click here for EYFS writing overview

Click here for Year 1 writing overview

Click here for Year 2 writing overview

Click here for Year 3 writing overview

Click here for Year 4 writing overview

Click here for Year 5 writing overview

Click here for Year 6 writing overview

Click here for End of Year Expectations 

Please note that writing journeys are continually reviewed and adapted.

Click here to find out more about Kinetic Letters.

Useful Links 

Click here to view the Little Wandle website 

Click here to view the EdShed website