Our Intent
At Musbury Primary School, our intent is firmly aligned to the aims of the national curriculum for writing.
The national curriculum for reading aims to ensure that all pupils:
- acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
- appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
- write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
We believe that the ability to write with confidence and accuracy is an essential life skill. We endeavor to enable all of our children to communicate effectively using the printed word in a wide range of contexts.
Our Implementation
Our teaching of writing reflects our belief that it is a complex process that requires many skills such as handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, grammar, punctuation and awareness of text structure and audience.
Phonics
Phonics is taught daily in Reception and KS1, following Sounds Write programme. Please see our phonics page.
Drawing Club
Our writing lessons take the form of Drawing Club, for our youngest children. It is a way to share skills including fine motor, maths, early writing, vocabulary and most importantly, imagination and excitement!
At the beginning of each week, we use a new quality text to grab the interest of the children. This could be a written text, a cartoon or a short film. When we use a book, we read the story and talk about the front cover, the title and make predictions about what the story could be about. We talk about the beginning, middle and end and we may sequence events to help them to familiarise themselves with what happens. If using a short film or cartoon, we would watch it together and have conversation about it.
We learn 5 words each week which link to the text. This is a way of developing new and exciting vocabulary in context that the children may not otherwise hear.
Writing in Year 1 onwards
Writing is taught through the use of high-quality text. Units vary in length - depending on the chosen outcome and the year group. Each English lesson is structure in small steps which build upon a skill and leads to a final writing outcome. There are short writing activities each day in order for the children to have a go at skills being taught during the lesson.
Spelling
In Reception and KS1 spelling is taught through phonics. In KS2, spelling is taught in a number of short sessions each week. Statutory spelling lists are also focused upon regularly and the children are encouraged to use these words within their writing tasks.
Grammar and Punctuation
Grammar and Punctuation is taught in both explicit and discrete sessions. Where possible, this is complimented through the context of the text used in the English unit of work.
Handwriting
We following the Kinetic Handwriting programme, please see our handwriting page.
The Impact
Children work towards becoming independent writers, through the skills and knowledge taught in their writing lessons and opportunities to practise these skills both in English and other lessons across the curriculum. Teacher's use writing conferencing time to work with groups and individuals, to talk through their writing choices and enable children to work alongside an adult to develop their writing further.
Teachers assess children's independent writing, using the assessment frameworks below.