Writing

Writing

Writing Intent

At Kingfisher Primary School, we seek to ensure that children are supported to be efficient and confident writers. Acquiring the skills to write is one of the most important things that a child at primary school will learn. We encounter writing everyday of our lives as it is the framework of our communication. Children at Kingfisher will use writing in almost all subjects of the curriculum, and the quality of work will be consistent across all these areas.

Writing down ideas fluently depends on effective transcription: that is, on spelling quickly and accurately through knowing the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) and understanding the morphology (word structure) and orthography (spelling structure) of words. Effective composition involves articulating and communicating ideas, and then organising them coherently for a reader. This requires clarity, awareness of the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Writing also depends on fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting.

Early Years

Nursery

In Little Kingfishers, the staff provide a range of opportunities for children to make marks and develop their fine motor skills. The children have a range of mark making materials available to them at all times and children are actively encouraged to participate in mark making activities. This includes crafting, mark making for a purpose such as in role play and large-scale mark making opportunities such as chalking outside.

Foundation Stage

In Reception, the children will start to learn how to form letters correctly. They will be encouraged to use their knowledge of phonics to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds.

Key Stage 1

As pupils progress through Key Stage 1, they will learn to write for a range of purposes, including stories, information texts and poetry. They will begin to re-read their writing to check it makes sense. They will also be expected to discuss what they have written and to read it aloud.

Key Stage 2

Across Key Stage 2, children will continue to develop their skills in planning, drafting and reviewing what they have written. Children will learn to identify the audience for and purpose of their writing. They will be expected to use grammar appropriately.

Pupils write a range of genres, following the reading of quality texts as a basis for exploration.

Handwriting

Handwriting in the Nursery and Foundation Stage begins with a strong focus on physical development to build muscle strength in the hands. Handwriting is taught through a mix of play and adult led activities, where letters are recorded in books. Effective handwriting should be neat, legible and fast. Pupils eventually develop the ability to produce letters without thinking. We expect children to be joining their handwriting by the end of Year 2.

Tracking and assessment

All pupils are assessed at appropriate intervals (half termly) as they progress. Foundation Stage and Year 1 pupils are tracked using a phonic tracker, and also on the amount of sight words they can read and write. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 are tested on their common exception words appropriate for their phase. Year 2 and 6 are prepared for the SATS with mock papers.

Writing moderations occur regularly across all year groups, and these take place during staff meetings. Writing is also moderated across the Preston Primary Academy Trust group of schools. These assessment outcomes allow  teachers and practitioners to ensure that all children are making expected progress. This information is also used to identify children who are not making expected progress and therefore early intervention can be put in place.

Intervention

Through careful monitoring and tracking practitioners are able to identify children who are not making the expected progress and therefore need intervention to catch up. Depending on the needs of individuals, this may include specific phonic and spelling support, handwriting support and additional individual or small group tutoring. It is important that children who are struggling to learn to write not only need to catch up with their peers, but also to continue to make progress.

Inclusion

Our aim at Kingfisher Primary School is that every child’s needs are catered for and every child is given the chance to succeed and become a competent writer. It is our aim to give every child the opportunity to experience success in learning and to be the best that they can be. Differentiated work, appropriate to individual children’s needs, is provided in the independent work during the day and also during intervention sessions. S.E.N.D pupils have Learning Passports and APDR documents, which may include specific literacy targets.