Writing
Intent
- To ensure the English writing curriculum enables our pupils to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to become lifelong learners and linguists. Pupils to understand that writing is an essential life skill which goes beyond school.
- Pupils to have the skills and confidence to express their ideas, opinions and emotions through their writing.
- Pupils from early years to Year 6 to be provided with many opportunities to develop and apply their writing skills across the curriculum.
- Pupils to learn about the different types of writing and develop an awareness of audience, purpose and context.
- Pupils to learn how to plan, write, redraft and evaluate their writing for a variety of purposes and audiences, clearly and coherently.
- We want pupils to develop independence in being able to identify their own strengths and areas for development in writing, editing
- their work both during and after the writing process. We would like pupils to understand that writing is a process and establish themselves as an author in their own right.
- To ensure our writing curriculum is accessible to all pupils and maximise the development of every child’s ability and academic
- Pupils to be exposed to high quality resources, e.g. stories, poems, non-fiction writing, models for writing, etc.
- For pupils to be taken on a writing journey which builds on their existing and developing knowledge and skills.
- Pupils to acquire a wide range of vocabulary and a sound understanding of grammar, and be able to apply this learning to their writing across the curriculum.
- With regards to spelling, we intend to teach pupils how to understand the relationship between words, identify patterns and learn key spelling rules. We encourage pupils to apply this learning to spell new words.
- For pupils to take pride in the presentation of their work and leave primary school with a fluent, legible handwriting script.
- Teachers to provide opportunities for pupils to write every day; this could be within any subject area.
- Teachers to reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards in their writing.
- Teachers to have a secure understanding of the English writing curriculum and deliver lessons that are creative and engaging.
Implementation
- To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in writing, we plan lessons using the Herts for Learning progression of skills document and the Planning Platform (available for each year group) which links to the National Curriculum expectations. This helps to achieve consistency and progression as pupils move through the school.
- Each year group has an overview of the writing genres, both narrative and non-fiction, that they will teach. Sometimes these will be linked to the topics being covered. Writing genres, together with the texts to be used, have been mapped out for years 1 to 6 to ensure correct coverage of the key genres and to build on previous skills/learning. Most of these units will take between two to four weeks to complete, and the outcome of each unit will be an extended piece of writing which will be used to assess the pupil’s skills against the agreed success criteria.
- Where possible, narrative units will be linked to a carefully chosen text that acts as a stimulus for teaching the identified text, word and sentence level features that the children will be expected to include in their final written outcome for that unit. Model texts are used in both fiction and non-fiction teaching.
- Teachers use the agreed teaching sequence to plan all units/genres. This sequence is also reflected on the working wall for writing from years 1 to 6.
- Differentiation is achieved through individual support, targeted intervention in class and scaffolding, e.g. word banks, a greater level of modelling, etc.
- Feedback is used throughout lessons to recognise strengths and identify areas to develop in terms of writing skills.
- Spelling work is linked to the National Curriculum. In KS2, a spelling scheme is used by teachers to support their teaching and to provide activities related to the weekly spellings. Children are given spellings to learn each week as part of homework and they are tested the following week.
- Grammar and punctuation knowledge and skills are taught through English writing lessons as much as possible. Teachers plan to teach the required skills through the genres of writing that they are teaching. Learning is linked to the genre to make it more connected with the intended written outcome. Teachers sometimes focus on particular grammar and punctuation skills as stand-alone lessons; especially if they feel that the class need additional lessons/practise to embed and develop their understanding or to consolidate skills.
- Teachers use their professional judgement and the Teacher Assessment Frameworks for writing to determine whether a pupil is working at age-related expectations, above or below.
- “No More Marking” is a national scheme that compares the writing of children from around the country. This is triangulated evidence.
Impact
- Pupils will enjoy writing across a range of genres, topics and subjects. They feel proud of their achievements and understand that writing is a journey.
- Pupils will make at least good progress in writing from their last point of statutory assessment.
- The percentage of pupils working at age-related expectations within each year group will be at least in line with national averages.
- The percentage of pupils working at greater depth within each year group will be at least in line with national averages.
- Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds will achieve success in their writing lessons because learning will be appropriately matched and scaffolded.
- Pupils’ writing across all curriculum areas is the same standard as in English books.
- Throughout each lesson, formative assessment will take place and feedback will be given to pupils to ensure they are meeting the specific learning objectives. This process will be used to influence the teacher’s planning and ensure they are providing a writing curriculum that allows each child to progress.
- The teaching of writing is monitored through book scrutinies, learning walks, pupil voice and lesson observations.
- There is evidence of a clear sequence for the teaching of writing in pupils’ books.
- Pupils will acquire and be able to apply a wider range of vocabulary to their writing.
- Pupils will have good knowledge of how to adapt their writing based on context, audience and purpose.
- Pupils will leave primary school being able to effectively apply spelling rules and patterns that they have been taught.
- Pupils will be academically prepared for life beyond primary school and throughout their educational journey.
- We believe that through using quality texts for writing, pupils will foster a love for reading and an interest in reading for pleasure.
Following COVID-19, Summer Assessments showed the following data:
Yr 2 – Writing AT+ 60%
Reading AT+70%
Yr 6 -Writing AT+ 66% (1 disapplied)
Reading AT+71% (1 disapplied)