Writing
Overview
Writing from Years 1-6 it taught using the principles of ‘The Write Stuff’ by Jane Considine. All staff are trained in this approach and the children are familiar with this style of writing lessons. Quality texts and stimuli are used to form the basis for all writing lessons. Lessons are a mix of ‘experience days’ and writing lessons, which build up to a best write. Lessons are split into learning chunks: ‘initiate’ by the teacher, ‘modelling’ and demonstration writing followed by ‘enable’ which is the pupil writing. Learning approaches such as CHOT - chatting and jotting / KCO - kind calling out are used. Children will use the left page of their writing book as a ‘thinking side’ and their right page as a ‘writing side’. Pupils may also use ‘shadometers’ to think about the intensity of their vocabulary and sentence stacking techniques will be used and displayed on the walls of the classroom. ‘Lenses’ will support different sentence structures and there is a high emphasis on quality vocabulary. Writing rainbows are also used to support the teaching of grammar. Children who are in the lowest 20% will have scaffolds to support them in their writing where appropriate. Higher attaining pupils will ‘deepen the moment’. When children have written their own similar text independently, they will be taught the skills of editing.
In EYFS, alongside letter formation taught in RWI, children will be taught to build up their mark – making into writing in many areas of continuous provision. This work will be guided and independent. There will be examples of this as part of their learning journeys and ongoing assessments.
Handwriting is taught discretely and within English lessons where appropriate. (See Handwriting policy).
Reception
Autumn 1
Through the topic 'Wonderful Me!' the children will be introduced to a host of literacy skills including:
Listening
Discrimination of sounds
Initial Sounds
Name writing
Fine motor skills
pencil control
Listen to stories and retell them
Children are taught to orally say sounds and listen for them in words.
Autumn 2
Through the topic 'Marvellous Machines' the children will begin to further develop their literacy skills through:
practicing letter formation
Writing initial sounds and Consonant Vowel Consonant (CVC) labels
Retell stories from learning in the small world area and through role-play
Describing events in familiar stories and begin to make predictions
begin to write simple phrases
Children are taught to orally blend sounds and write single letters using the correct formation.
Spring 1
Through the topic 'Long Ago', children will continue developing their literacy skills by:
continuing to work on forming new letters correctly
continuing to identify initial sounds and writing CVC words
Begin to use non-fiction stories to draw vocabulary and knowledge from
Children are taught to read and write speed sounds during phonics
Spring 2.
Through the topic, 'Ready Steady Grow', children will have many learning opportunities for their writing in fun and exciting ways in the indoor and outdoor classroom environment by:
creating labels and captions
Beginning to write short phrases
Beginning to write short sentences
Being introduced to finger spaces, capital letters and full-stops
Use non-fiction information in different contexts
Children are taught to read and write speed sounds during phonics
Summer 1
Through the topic 'Animal Safari', children will:
Begin to create captions and sentences
Use and understand new vocabulary from stories, poems and non-fiction
Discuss what they know or have found out
Sequence and retell stories
Children are taught to read and write speed sounds during phonics
Summer 2
Through the topic 'On The Beach' children will:
Learn about sentences, fingers spaces, capital letters and full-stops
Use and understand new vocabulary from songs and stories
Sequence and retell stories
Adapt narratives
Children are taught to read and write speed sounds during phonics
Year 1
Autumn 1
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'Childhood' and 'Everyday Materials'.
Children will write new sounds, words and sentences during their phonics sessions.
Autumn 2
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'Childhood' and 'Human Senses'.
Children will write new sounds, words and sentences during their phonics sessions.
Spring 1
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'Bright Lights Big City' and 'Seasonal Changes'.
Children will write new sounds, words and sentences during their phonics sessions.
Spring 2
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'Bright Lights Big City' and 'Seasonal Changes'.
Children will write new sounds, words and sentences during their phonics sessions.
Summer 1
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'School Days' and 'Plant Parts'.
Children will write new sounds, words and sentences during their phonics sessions.
Summer 2
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'School Days' and 'Animal Parts'.
Children will write new sounds, words and sentences during their phonics sessions.
Year 2
Autumn 1
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'Movers and Shakers' and 'Human Survival'.
Children will build and write sentences and apply grammar skills linked to the story that they are learning during their Read Write Inc daily lesson.
Autumn 2
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'Movers and Shakers' and 'Living Things and their Habitats'.
Children will build and write sentences and apply grammar skills linked to the story that they are learning during their Read Write Inc daily lesson.
Spring 1
Children will have cross-curricular writing opportunities through their topics 'Coastlines' and 'Materials'.
Children will build and write sentences and apply grammar skills linked to the story that they are learning during their Read Write Inc daily lesson.
Spring 2
A narrative based upon 'Itty Bitty Fluffy' by Beatrice Alemagna
An information text on plants
Summer 1
A narrative based upon 'building boy' by Ross Montgomery.
A set of instructions around how to construct a bird feeder
Summer 2
Poetry based on 'If I were in charge of the world' by Jidth Viorst
A non-chronological report on Big Cats
Year 3
Autumn 1
Narrative based upon 'Stone Age Boy' by Satoshi Kitamura
A scientific report on skeletons & muscles.
Autumn 2
Poetry based upon Autumn
A persuasive holiday brochure on 'Skara Brae' by Dawn Finch
Spring 1
A non-chronological report based upon' The Street Beneath My Feet' by Charlotte Guillian
A non-chronological report on earthquakes.
Spring 2
A narrative based upon 'The Secret of Black Rock' by Joe Todd-Stanton
A set of instructions based upon 'My Strong Mind' by Niels Van Hove
Summer 1
A narrative based upon 'Theseus & The Minotaur' by Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden
A newspaper report based upon 'Wizards Of Once' by Cressida Cowell
Summer 2
A narrative based upon 'Star in the jar' by Sam Hay
A diary based upon 'The Journal of Lliona' by Richard Platt
Year 4
Autumn 1
Narrative based upon 'Beowulf' by Michael Morpurgo
An explanation text based upon 'Gut Garden: A Journey into the Wonderful World of Your Microbiome' by Katie Brosnan.
Autumn 2
A narrative based upon 'Wolves in the walls' by Neil Gaiman.
A persuasive speech based upon an Anglo-Saxon battle.
Spring 1
Poetry based upon 'The River' by Valorie Bloom.
A newspaper report based upon 'The Creature'
Spring 2
A narrative based upon 'Float' by Daniel Miyares
A persuasive advert for an alternative to plastic straws.
Summer 1
An explanation text - 'how does a robot dog work?'
A biography text on Hatshepsut, the Egyptian Queen.
Summer 2
A narrative based upon 'The Iron Man' by Ted Hughes
A diary based upon 'Secrets of a sun king' by Emma Carroll.
Year 5
Autumn 1
A narrative based upon 'Cosmic' by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Non-chronological reports about Emperor Penguins
Autumn 2
A narrative based upon 'One Small Step' by Taiko Studios.
A journal based upon the Mars transmission.
Spring 1
A poetry unit based upon 'The Highwayman' by Alfred Noyes.
A persuasive letter based upon 'Kick' by Mitch Johnson
Spring 2
A narrative based upon 'Zoo' by Anthony Browne
A biography inspired by David Attenborough
Summer 1
A narrative based upon 'I believe in Unicorns' by Michael Morpurgo.
A balanced argument about screen use in children.
Summer 2
A narrative based upon 'Gorilla' by Anthony Browne
A persuasive speech about plastic pollution
Year 6
Autumn 1
Narrative based upon 'Henry's Freedom Box' by Ellen Levine
Biographies for Black History Month
Autumn 2
Narrative based upon 'The Journey' by Francesca Sanna.
Persuasive letter based upon 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens
Spring 1
Narrative adventure based upon Kensuke's Kingdom' by Micheal Morpurgo
Non-chronological report based around 'Everest' by Sangma Francis
Spring 2
Narrative romance based upon 'Paperman' a Disney short film
Persuasive brochure to a frozen kingdom.
Summer 1
Narrative based upon 'Rose Blanche' by Christophe Gallaz
Persuasive speech writing around going into battle.
Summer 2
Balanced Discussion - based upon 'Wonder' by RJ Palacio
Narrative Poetry based upon 'Moth' by Isabel Thomas.