Writing

At Earlham Primary School, we believe that every child is a writer. Our intent is to develop confident, creative and capable writers who can communicate their ideas effectively for a range of purposes and audiences. We aim for children to see themselves as authors with something worth saying, who enjoy writing and take pride in their work.  Our intent for writing is grounded firmly in the DfE’s Writing Framework 2025 where there is a focus on the quality of writing, it is taught as a craft and there is a culture where writing matters.

Writing at our school is rooted in:

• High-quality, engaging texts that inspire, model excellence and spark imagination (see English Overview).
• Strong links between reading, phonics and writing, underpinned by Little Wandle Letters and Sounds (See Early Reading policy).
• Oral language and drama, recognising that talk is the foundation of writing
• A structured yet flexible writing process that supports all learners

We aim for pupils to be able to:

• become skilled and creative writers who understand how writing changes depending on purpose and audience
• use writing as a means to communicate ideas and information to a reader
• understand and use grammar to enhance their writing
• build a rich vocabulary suited to the purpose, genre and subject through exposure to ambitious texts and teacher models
• have a good understanding and experience of a wide variety of genres
• draft and re-draft, making significant revisions where appropriate
• use spelling, punctuation and syntax accurately and with confidence.
• Instil enjoyment for writing.

 

Implementation

High-Quality Texts

High-quality texts are central to our writing curriculum. Carefully chosen books, poems, films and real-world examples:

* Provide models of excellent writing

* Expose children to rich language, varied sentence structures and ambitious vocabulary

* Support comprehension, vocabulary development and writing stamina

* Act as a stimulus for talk, drama and writing across the curriculum.

 

Texts are revisited, explored deeply and enjoyed, ensuring children internalise language patterns and structures before writing.

See English Overview for the list of texts used in each year group.

 

Phonics and Early Writing (Little Wandle Letters and Sounds)

In Early Years and KS1, writing is closely aligned with Little Wandle Letters and Sounds:

* Children are taught to apply their phonics knowledge to spelling in writing

* Segmenting for spelling is explicitly taught and practised

* Phonetically plausible spelling is encouraged and celebrated

* Adults model spelling using known GPCs and tricky words

* Writing opportunities are meaningful, purposeful and linked to shared texts

As children progress, spelling instruction builds systematically, supporting increasing accuracy and independence.  See Spelling Policy.

 

Handwriting

At Earlham Primary School handwriting is taught by following Letter Join in Y1-6 – although Y1 will use the formation phrases associated with Little Wandle. Letter Join a sequential teaching programme that builds on the skills required to become fluent with handwriting. The programme begins by focusing on learning through movement and multisensory experiences in EYFS. This physical approach develops concentration, motor skills and develops stamina to become a fluent writer. As the sequence of lessons and skills continue children become confident and accurate with letter formation and build towards using joined, legible and consistent handwriting.  See Handwriting Policy. 

 

Spelling

At Earlham Primary School we follow the Spelling Shed programme which provides weekly spelling lists for children from Year 2 to Year 6.  These spellings progress through the spelling patterns and common exception words as recommended in the English National Curriculum.  In the year 2025-26, Year 2 children will follow the little Wandle Phonics programme before moving to ‘Bridge to Spelling’.  Children in EYFS and Y1 continue to follow the Little Wandle teaching sequence and learn to spell phonetically and the associated tricky words.  See Spelling Policy. 

 

The Writing Teaching Sequence

Writing is taught through a clear, consistent sequence that supports all learners and allows time for depth, creativity and improvement.

1. Immersion and Engagement

* Introduce the genre through stories, videos, model texts or real-life examples

* Read and enjoy examples together, discussing what children notice

* Use drama and role play to step into the genre

* Create excitement through hooks such as mystery boxes, visitors, letters, props or scenarios

 

2. Exploring Purpose and Audience

* Discuss why this type of writing exists and who it is for

* Role play being the audience

* Explore what makes writing effective and engaging

 

3. Text Exploration

* Study model texts in detail

* Identify key features: structure, language, vocabulary and punctuation

* Create shared success criteria in child-friendly language

* Build word banks, sentence starters and example phrases

 

4. Oral Rehearsal and Drama

* Act out stories, scenes or situations

* Hot-seat characters, conduct interviews and use freeze-frames

* Retell ideas using story maps, actions and partner talk

* Encourage children to “say it before they write it”

 

5. Teach the Toolkit

* Explicitly teach grammar and punctuation relevant to the genre

* Lessons follow the school grammar progression and grammar map

* Grammar is taught in context, not in isolation

 

6. Shared and Guided Writing

* Teachers model writing, thinking aloud about choices using satellite texts to support

* Children contribute ideas, vocabulary and improvements using scaffolds provided e.g. word mats, sentence stems

* Success criteria/ writing checklists are consistently referred to

* Guided groups support planning, sentence construction and editing

* Targeted support reinforces specific skills such as sequencing, description or dialogue

 

7. Planning

Children plan their writing using:

* Story maps

* Storyboards

* Role play and oral storytelling

* Simple planning templates with checklists/questions

 

8. Independent Writing

* Children write their own piece, often over several sessions

* Creativity, confidence and independence are encouraged

* Children use word banks, models, sentence stems and success criteria to scaffold writing

 

9. Editing and Improving

Children are taught to edit for:

* Sense, clarity and cohesion

* Vocabulary choices

* Punctuation and spelling

Teachers model improvements, particularly in KS1. Children are encouraged to “magpie” and redraft sections or whole pieces.

 

10. Peer Sharing and Feedback

* Children share writing with partners or small groups

* Simple feedback structures are used (e.g. “Two stars and a wish”)

* Children role play being “kind critics”

* Editing continues through discussion

 

11. Final Draft and Presentation

* Children produce a best version of their writing

* Presentation reflects pride and purpose

* Work may be handwritten, illustrated or digitally produced

 

12. Performance and Celebration

* Writing is shared through storytelling, performances and readings

* Work is displayed in classrooms and shared spaces

* Parents and other classes may be invited as audiences

* Class books are created and shared across the school

 

 Inclusion and Adaptation

We are committed to ensuring all children can succeed as writers:

* Scaffolds such as sentence starters, word banks and visual supports are used

* Widget is used to support vocabulary development/comprehension

* Writing tasks are adapted without reducing ambition

* Additional adult support is provided where appropriate

* Alternative ways of recording ideas (oral, drawing, drama) are valued

 

Assessment

Assessment in writing is ongoing and purposeful:

* Teachers use formative assessment during lessons to adapt teaching and provide feedback

* Live marking is encouraged so that children receive timely feedback that they can feed forward.

* Children’s work is assessed against age-related expectations in line with National Curriculum expectations.

* Moderation both internally and externally ensures consistency and accuracy of judgements

* Assessment informs planning, intervention and next steps

Each child has an assessment sheet that is updated regularly by teachers as they mark the children’s writing.  This is also a reference point for children so they are aware of their areas for development and build an ambitious mind-set.

Teachers use this to make an informed half -termly judgment on children’s writing achievement.

 

Impact

By the time children leave Earlham Primary, they will:

* Enjoy writing and see themselves as capable authors

* Write clearly, coherently and creatively for a range of purposes

* Apply phonics, spelling and grammar accurately and confidently

* Use rich vocabulary inspired by high-quality texts

* Take pride in drafting, editing and presenting their work.

* Show confidence and clear articulation in presenting their work orally

 

Writing outcomes across the school reflect:

* Strong progress from individual starting points

* Increasing independence and stamina

* High engagement and positive attitudes towards writing

 

Our writing curriculum ensures children are well prepared for the next stage of their education and for life beyond school, able to express themselves with confidence, creativity and purpose.