Writing

Through our writing curriculum, we aim to: 

Inspire a love of reading and writing in all students. Using Devon County Council’s BookWrites scheme, we provide a rich and varied literary experience that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication skills. Our goal is to ensure that every child becomes a confident, articulate, and enthusiastic reader and writer by the time they leave primary school.

Key Principles

1. High-Quality Texts: We use high-quality, age-appropriate texts that offer rich language and engaging content. These texts are carefully selected to support the development of reading and writing skills.
2. Progressive Learning: The curriculum is structured to ensure a clear progression of skills from Year 1 to Year 6. Each year group builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in previous years.
3. Inclusivity: We ensure that all students, regardless of their background or ability, have access to the same high-quality learning experiences. Differentiation and support are provided to meet the needs of all learners.
4. Engagement and Motivation: We create an engaging and motivating learning environment that encourages students to take an active interest in their reading and writing. This includes interactive activities, discussions, and opportunities for creative expression.
5. Integration with Wider Curriculum: We make meaningful links between English and other subjects, helping students see the relevance and application of their literacy skills in different contexts.
6. Assessment and Feedback: Regular assessment and constructive feedback are used to monitor student progress and inform teaching. This helps us identify areas for improvement and celebrate successes.

Implementation

• Teaching Sequences: We follow the teaching sequences provided by the BookWrites scheme, designed to support the teaching of reading and writing through high-quality texts.
• Planning Progression: Our planning progression includes stages of immersion, skills & modelling, planning, writing, editing & revising, and publishing. This structured approach ensures comprehensive coverage and skill development.
• Professional Development: Teachers have access to training and support to ensure they are confident in delivering the curriculum effectively.
• Resources: We provide a range of resources, including books, stationery, and digital tools, to support the teaching and learning of English.
• Collaboration: Teachers work collaboratively to share best practices and develop innovative approaches to teaching English.

Impact

• Improved Literacy Skills: Students demonstrate improved reading and writing skills, as evidenced by their work and assessments.
• Confident Communicators: Students become confident communicators, able to express their ideas and opinions effectively.
• Love of Reading and Writing: Students develop a lifelong love of reading and writing, supporting their learning across all subjects and in their future education.

By following these principles and implementing the BookWrites scheme, we aim to create a vibrant and effective English curriculum that meets the needs of all our students.

EYFS

We aim to provide a rich and stimulating environment where children can develop their mark-making and writing skills through engaging and meaningful activities. Our goal is to ensure that every child becomes a confident and enthusiastic writer, capable of expressing their thoughts and ideas creatively and effectively.

Implementation

To achieve our intent, we implement a variety of strategies and activities:

• Drawing Club: We use Drawing Club as a key approach to teaching mark-making and writing. This club provides children with opportunities to explore different materials and techniques, encouraging them to express their ideas through drawing and writing. By integrating storytelling and drawing, children develop their narrative skills and begin to see the connection between their drawings and written words.
• Continuous Provision: Writing opportunities are embedded throughout our continuous provision. We create inviting writing areas in different parts of the classroom, stocked with a variety of writing tools and materials. Children are encouraged to engage in mark-making and writing during their play, whether it's writing a shopping list in the role-play area, creating signs for their constructions, or recording their observations in the outdoor area.
• Focused Activities: In addition to Drawing Club and continuous provision, we plan focused writing activities that target specific skills. These activities are designed to be fun and engaging, helping children to develop their fine motor skills, letter formation, and understanding of phonics.

Handwriting

It is paramount that children are rigorously taught correct letter formation from the very beginning of their time in school.

In reception, children are taught to form letters through phonic sessions. In year 1, when they are ready, children are encouraged to 'sweep in' and 'sweep out', preparing them for the movements for joining letters. All children in KS1 and KS2 who are ready for 'sweep in, sweep out' have tramlined handwriting books to support them in keeping their letters of a consistent size.

Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPAG)

We take a structured and comprehensive approach to the teaching of spelling, punctuation, and grammar. We use the Decision Spelling scheme to inform our planning and teaching of spelling. This scheme provides a systematic and progressive framework that helps students develop their spelling skills effectively. Through regular and focused spelling lessons, children learn to understand spelling patterns, rules, and strategies, enabling them to become confident and accurate spellers.

For grammar and punctuation, we follow the BookWrites scheme, which supports our planning and teaching in these areas. The BookWrites scheme offers a rich and varied approach to grammar and punctuation, integrating these essential skills into our broader English curriculum. By using high-quality texts and engaging activities, we ensure that students not only learn the technical aspects of grammar and punctuation but also understand their practical application in writing. This approach helps our students to become articulate and effective communicators, capable of expressing their ideas clearly and accurately.