Intent

We want our children at Coulsdon Church of England Primary School to be enthusiastic, imaginative and confident writers, who demonstrate a love of Writing across a range of genres, whilst being able to apply their knowledge and skills to support their learning across the curriculum. This will ultimately lead them to be able to communicate with others effectively and be ready for secondary school and beyond.

Our Writing curriculum has been planned to ensure that the skills and knowledge progression from EYFS all the way up to Year 6 are implemented in small steps and build upon one another within poetry, fiction and non-fiction. High quality texts are used to inspire children in their Writing and ensure children have access to age-appropriate vocabulary.

EYFS:

At Coulsdon, the intent for our EYFS children is that they will make the link between reading and writing from the very start of their education. They will then know that they can use writing to communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings. Our EYFS team focus on getting the children ready to write by developing the range of skills and knowledge needed to start writing. They will use these skills to start writing for an audience and begin to form sentences. In our EYFS, the children are motivated to write about a range of topics and love sharing what they have produced with others.

KS1:

At Coulsdon, the intent for our KS1 children is to enable them to continue to build on from their learning in EYFS and be able to communicate effectively. Through reading a wide range of books and developing reading for pleasure, the children will become aware of different writing styles and how to write for particular audiences or purposes. Our KS1 children will be given the opportunity to verbalise their ideas before putting them down on paper. They will be modelled to so that they can apply what they have learnt to their own writing and shown how to edit their own work. They will continue to build on their writing stamina from EYFS and construct longer pieces using more complex vocabulary, grammar and punctuation.

KS2:

At Coulsdon, the intent for our KS2 children is to enable them to become enthusiastic, imaginative and confident writers who are able to use a wider range of writing devices and techniques. Throughout the key stage, the children will learn about a wide range of genres and understand the importance of writing for a particular purpose. The children will develop their own joined and legible style so that they have the stamina to create longer pieces using a high level of vocabulary and wide punctuation range.

Implementation

At Coulsdon Church of England Primary School, Writing is taught following National Curriculum expectations.

Planning

• Planning is completed using National Curriculum expectations;
• Staff deliver cross-curricular lessons on grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and composition which are embedded within the learning journeys for each genre;
• Cross-curricular links are made through the fun and exciting chosen topics taught through Maestro and these increase in difficulty throughout the school and are applied across a range of subjects;
• A variety of poetry, fiction and non-fiction genres are taught, which take into account the age and progression of the children;
• Cold Tasks inform the planning of each unit and the Hot Task enables the children to demonstrate the progress that has been made;
• Planning includes Cold Tasks, short burst writing opportunities, grammar and punctuation focus’, planning formats, imitation tasks and independent Hot Tasks;
• Interventions are planned to support children further in their learning and progress;
• Spelling is taught using the Read, Write, Ink spelling programme;
• Handwriting is taught using the Twinkl handwriting programme.

Teaching

• Subject knowledge of teachers is secure and they are aware of progression across the school;
• Modelling is used effectively to demonstrate how skills should be used and applied including vocabulary for the children to magpie;
• Children’s work is recorded in an English book but is also seen in other subjects following the school’s learning journey;
• Spellings rules are taught using the Read, Write, Ink spelling programme following on from the KS1 Phonics programme. Spelling is important because it aids in reading. It helps cement the connection that is shared between sounds and letters. The programme focuses on teaching the rules and patterns of spellings which enables children to learn spellings including statutory words and common exception words;
• Handwriting lessons are taught following the Twinkl handwriting programme. Handwriting is a basic skill that influences the quality of work throughout the curriculum and at the end of KS2 all children should be able to produce fluent and legible joined-up writing for different purposes;
• Interventions are held to support children further in their learning and progress where needed.

Assessments

• Formal assessments are completed at the end of each term;
• Constant teacher assessment of writing written independently across all subjects;
• Teacher assessment monitored against agreed year group standards;
• All teachers use assessment grids that demonstrate consistency and progress across the school.

EYFS

At Coulsdon, we implement the intent in our EYFS through various methods. They begin by exploring different ways of mark making using various materials and tools. Through explicit teaching of Writing, the children enjoy and use high-quality texts to support their understanding of language and comprehension. To ensure all can access their learning and make progress a range of teaching methods are used such as: oral storytelling, drama, role-play, shared writing and story mapping. Interventions are put in place to support those who need it. Our EYFS team ensures that there are a wide range of child-led writing activities available throughout their continuous provision of the curriculum so that the children can independently apply what they have been taught within their own writing.

KS1

At Coulsdon, we implement the intent in KS1 through teaching writing every day across a range of subjects. Different genres are taught across the year and the children learn how to create poetry, fiction and non-fiction texts. For each genre, the children are inspired by an exciting and high-level text that is linked to other areas of the curriculum. Skills are built upon in small steps following the national curriculum. Throughout the key stage, staff clearly model how to create a particular type of writing as well as how to edit and improve what they have produced. Grammar and punctuation are taught within the writing learning journey, focusing on the requirements of the genre being taught as well as the standards from the national curriculum. Children are then provided with opportunities to apply the skills that they have learnt in their independent pieces both within English lessons and other subjects.

KS2

At Coulsdon, we implement the intent in KS2 through building on the previous learning in KS1. In the same way as KS1, different genres are taught across the year and the children learn how to create poetry, fiction and non-fiction texts. These text types become more challenging and complex as the children advance through the key stage. For each genre, the children are inspired by an exciting and high-level text that is linked to other areas of the curriculum, builds on their previous learning and ensures positive writing outcomes. Skills are built upon in small steps following the national curriculum. The children continue to build on the grammar and punctuation that they have been taught in KS1 and apply it within their own writing. Children learn to write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, selecting language that shows good awareness of the reader.

Impact

Children will have developed an enthusiasm and love for Writing and enjoyed creating a wide variety of inspiring genres across the curriculum. They will have developed a vibrant imagination and a complex and vivid vocabulary.

Children will be able to spell accurately and use methods to support them when necessary as well as being able to use a wide range of punctuation accurately and effectively.

Children will be able to write confidently in a joined and legible style both within English and across the wider curriculum.

Hot Task assessments alongside other independent writing will inform teachers of pupil’s next steps and successes.

Lesson observations and book scrutiny will demonstrate that pupils are being well supported, through smaller steps to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to be confident and competent writers. In addition, modelling and reviewing will ensure the knowledge and skills are embedded in the long-term memory. Pupil and Staff voice also demonstrate the impact that the curriculum has on the children’s writing.

EYFS

At Coulsdon, the impact of our writing curriculum is assessed using writing examples that the children have created independently as a result of the lessons taught through adult-led activities, adult modelling and as part of the continuous provision. The children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals. Through their writing assessments, the children’s motor skills are also monitored to ensure the children can write clearly and legibly.

KS1

At Coulsdon, the impact of our writing curriculum enables the children to use the new skills taught within their own writing. Any next steps are identified and children are supported to achieve these. Staff use independent pieces (Hot Tasks) and cross-curricular writing to make judgements which are assessed using national curriculum standards alongside writing assessment grids.

KS2

At Coulsdon, the impact of our writing curriculum enables the children to use the new skills taught within their own writing. Any next steps are identified and children are supported to achieve these through intervention at the point of learning, through marking that explains what they need to achieve and through conferencing. Staff use independent pieces (Hot Tasks) and cross-curricular writing to make judgements which are assessed using national curriculum standards alongside writing assessment grids.