Writing

Intent 

At Salehurst CE Primary School, we understand that the teaching of writing both as a core subject and throughout the curriculum, links learning through all subjects. We aim to develop children to become clear, effective communicators who consider and respond to their audience and the context appropriately. We provide opportunities to write in a widening variety of forms for different purposes, using appropriate grammar forms. Alongside this, we build their ability to spell correctly and write in a neat, joined style. Children of all abilities are supported through appropriate modelling and scaffolding to enable them to express themselves through writing.  

Implementation 

​The teaching of writing is achieved through careful planning around topics that each year group engages in. We believe that a cross curricular approach inspires pupils and enables children to learn in an engaging and creative way. 
  
Through teaching synthetic phonics and building on prior learning in discrete spelling, grammar, and punctuation lessons, we build on the children’s previous knowledge and skills.  Teaching of writing aims to focus on core grammar and text skills, whilst ensuring pupils develop their own style and flair as writers.  Planning and teaching is structured, using our high-quality Power of Reading class text, to provide a variety of writing purposes, including writing opportunities across the curriculum that build on grammar taught in English lessons. Writing opportunities are planned so the children can apply the taught objectives and writing skills for the same writing purpose but for a different context to show the progress they have independently made with their writing.  

 
KS1 and 2 follow the 2014 National Curriculum knowledge and skills for writing and grammar. Writing is then assessed against the statutory requirements in the National Curriculum’s programme of study, which are used to record children’s progress and to inform planning for writing composition, grammar, spelling, punctuation and handwriting. From the assessments completed, teachers discuss next steps with the children through whole-class and individual feedback. 

​In Reception and Year 1, children learn how to form letters correctly, then from Year 2, they begin to learn to join their handwriting. Pupils experience coherence and continuity in the learning and teaching of handwriting across all school years and are encouraged to take pride in the presentation of their work. 

Children learn to write in a variety of genres. They have examples to use to identify the features and grammar used; teachers model the writing required alongside use of exemplars to aid and inspire the children’s own writing.   Children then plan and complete their writing, sections of which may then be edited in green pen to show the improvements that the children have made.   Green pens are used to show the children’s proofreading and editing changes.   Pieces of writing across the curriculum are be presented in their topic books to create a book of work that the children enjoy to showing to others. 

Impact 

Since our last Ofsted visit in 2017, KS2 writing achievement has been on an upward trend, with results above both county and national ones as shown during the last three years of validated statutory assessments.  

Across the school, children are engaged in their writing tasks and enjoy showing others their progress and achievement in our FAB assemblies and when their writing is displayed in classrooms and around the school.