Writing
At Turnditch, we foster an ethos that values the freedom of expression and creativity that Writing provides. The aim is to help children make faster progress and gain confidence and pleasure as a writer. By offering shared writing opportunities and supportive writing we ensure that our children develop a deep understanding of writing any genre or text type.
National Curriculum states, the programmes of study for writing at key stages 1 and 2 are constructed similarly to those for reading:
- transcription (spelling and handwriting)
- composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing).
It is essential that teaching develops pupils’ competence in these two dimensions. In addition, pupils should be taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. These aspects of writing have been incorporated into the programmes of study for composition. At Turnditch Primary, we want our children to be confident writers who apply their skills in a legible coherent way across the curriculum and in later life. They should able to ‘magpie’ ideas from known stories and exposed to all text types through their primary career.
Over time, the curriculum enables pupils to become fluent in the key transcriptional aspects of writing: i.e. spelling, handwriting and many aspects of punctuation. Being secure in these aspects allows pupils to build key compositional knowledge and focus on the content, form and structure of their writing. Leader work hard to;
- Have an oversight of curriculum coverage and ensure that the curriculum meets national requirements
- Ensure that colleagues are aware of expectations
- Action plan for future development
- Ensure that appropriate resources are in place to deliver a rich and challenging curriculum.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our children begin their writing journey in reception, with gross motor activities and playful fine motor activities (dough disco and funky fingers). More formal writing sessions also begin in reception with accurate letter formation, hold a sentence and short composition.
In KS1, children develop their writing through the Little Wandle phonics programme and Literacy Shed Plus. They also begin to join by using Letter Join for support.
At Turnditch Primary, we understand that pupils need to develop the stamina and skills to write at length, with accurate spelling and punctuation that is why after children complete the Little Wandle phonics programme in year 1, they transition into the EdShed. Spelling scheme in year 2. Each child has a daily phonics or spelling session. Through Literacy Shed Plus children are exposed to strong models and high-quality text from which they can investigate and base their own writing.
KS1 and 2 children, are taught the correct use of grammar through discrete grammar lessons. They build on what they have been taught to expand the range of their writing and the variety of the grammar they use. With careful succession in planning, the writing children create includes: narratives, explanations, descriptions, comparisons, summaries and evaluations: such writing supports them in rehearsing, understanding and consolidating what they have heard or read. We work hard to;
- Ensure that teaching within the subject is strong and promotes the acquisition of key knowledge, building on prior learning
- Lead professional development, providing guidance and support to colleagues
- Oversee assessment
- Make best use of financial and human resources to impact on standards
- Promote the subject and championing the subject with colleagues and pupils.
Writing is taught in a creative and stimulating way through the DfE approved ‘Literacy Shed Plus’ units.
Literacy Shed Plus is an evidence-based teaching of writing. The units are sequentially mapped out so the entire statutory curriculum for writing is covered for each year group.
The units of work centre on engaging, vocabulary-rich texts, with a wealth of writing opportunities. Each unit provides a narrative and non-fiction outcome meaning that our children are exposed to and produce writing of a range of genres and for a range of purposes. The carefully selected Texts have strong thematic cross curricular links ultimately embedding quality writing across all subject areas.
How are written units taught?
At the start of each unit, children are immersed in a high-quality text or short film. Children then explore objects that have links to the text whilst making predictions. They respond to the illustrations and explore new vocabulary. They listen to and enjoy the text being read aloud to them. Children will then immerse themselves into the example text, a model of the writing outcome they will produce.
During the next phase of learning, children analyse the vocabulary used in the example text and any vocabulary that links to their national curriculum spelling rules and patterns. Children will analyse grammatical features that have been used and engage in explicit teaching of these. The structure of the model text is analysed and explicitly taught at this point also.
During the planning phase, using their new learning and example texts as stimulus, children plan the intended writing outcome for the unit. It is during this phase where children have the opportunity to use their metacognition skills and really think about, and apply their knowledge, their learning and their own creative flair.
The final phase of the unit is the writing phase. Children finally produce a high-quality independent piece of writing, applying all taught skills and knowledge from the unit. Once completed children revise and edit their piece of writing.
Each unit builds on learning, skills and expectations ensuring our children can thrive within the curriculum and every individual can achieve.