Intent

At Hempland, writing is at the heart of the curriculum.  Relevant and stimulating opportunities for writing, that link to our carefully planned texts and curriculum, ensures that children are motivated to write and learn to communicate effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences.

How Writing links with our school values

Children show respect for others through developing the craft of writing for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Children have the opportunity to write for real audiences and purposes and develop their skills in creative, informative and entertaining styles, publishing their work for intended audiences.
Children are inspired by a range of authors, genres and topics which motivates them to dream big and develop high aspirations.
Children are encouraged to write to a high standard by evaluating and refining their work and editing and proof reading to achieve their best.

Implementation

Writing is taught based on the National Curriculum for Years 1 to 6 and Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework and Development Matters.

We also have a writing progression document that ensures that writing skills and knowledge have progression across each year group including genres and skills and knowledge to be taught each half term.  

Transcription 

Spelling

  • Children in Early Years and Year 1 learn to spell through the LIttle Wandle Phonics scheme
  • Year 2 children have regular spelling sessions every week and follow the Little Wandle scheme.
  • KS2 have regular spelling sessions every week and follow the Spelling Shed spelling scheme.
  • All year groups have focus spellings displayed on their working walls.
  • Weekly spelling homework is shared for children to practise their skills.
  • Children from Y2-Y6 have personal spelling grids to support their progress in spelling. 

Handwriting

  • Handwriting is taught in discrete sessions from Early Years to Y6 following the Penpals scheme.  
  • Handwriting is taught daily in reception and Year 1 using the Little Wandle formation and phrases.
  • Cursive handwriting is taught from Y2 to Y6.
  • Children who are unable to write legibly and easily will have daily handwriting.
  • EY and Y1 daily, Year 2 3x per week, Year 3 & 4 2x per week, Year 5 & 6 1x per week.  
  • Additional support and practice opportunities are provided for some children as appropriate. 

  

Children practise their application of spelling and handwriting knowledge through dictation.  

Composition

Grammar and Punctuation

  • Years 1-6 have grammar and punctuation taught throughout the week. 
  • Lessons link to the genre being taught in writing to ensure that children have a deep understanding.
  • The Hempland sentence progression sets out the grammatical structures in each year group that children are expected to learn by the end of the year and this is incorporated into writing lessons as appropriate.  
  • Sentence mastery activities are a feature of every lesson as a lesson starter, as the main teaching or as a recap at the end of a lesson.  

Writing

EYFS

The writing process in EYFS is as follows:

  • Immersion – children are introduced to a text/theme.
  • Read – read lots of varied stories and texts around the given theme.
  • Opportunities to talk.
  • Oral rehearsal before shared writing and teacher modelling.
  • Publish – children use their knowledge from SSP to write a dictated sentence, after oral rehearsal, around said text/them

The writing process throughout school is as follows:

  • Immersion – children are introduced to a text/audience/purpose
  • Gather Ideas and Planning
  • Modelling, Shared Writing, Oral Rehearsal and Drafting
  • Evaluating, Editing and Proof Reading
  • Publishing, Performing and Celebrating Success

Our Writing Long Term Plan details the genre and knowledge and skills that children will be taught in each year group each half term.  This is to ensure that the curriculum is carefully sequenced and that learning is broken into small steps and progressive through each year group and across each key stage.    Children have the opportunity to practise their composition skills orally as appropriate and this links with sentence mastery activities.   

Assessment

  • Formative assessment is used to check understanding and inform teaching on a daily basis.   Strategies for this include observations, questioning, whole class answering systems such as mini whiteboards, reading pupil’s work, listening to discussions, live marking. 
  • Each term, teachers make a judgement about children’s writing attainment using agreed Year group criteria.  This is used to inform plans for the next term and helps to measure children’s progress and identify gaps.  
  • Writing judgements are moderated each term both across school and more widely with Pathfinder Multi academy trust schools. Y6 also moderate their judgements with colleagues from across York at least once a year. 

Impact

  • Children will become independent and confident writers, able to write with accuracy and communicate ideas effectively for a purpose.
  • Children will develop a lifelong enjoyment of writing.
  • Children will have the skills so that they can access the next step of their education.