Writing
At the centre of all writing learning, pupils are exposed to and engage with high quality texts and/or visual stimuli. which offer the appropriate level of challenge. By engaging pupils in this way, we aim to deepen their understanding as readers and expose them to quality writing. The children are confident to explore the known texts as writers and use this learning to develop into and express themselves as confident writers. Teachers select texts which are both age appropriate and offer cross curricular links that children's understanding of the world is deepened. A clear process of writing is followed so that children are able to develop writing tools which build their knowledge and understanding year on year.
Below are an example of possible texts used. These will change as curriculum changes are made or as children's interests may dictate.
EYFS
The teaching sequences engage the children with a story so that they can empathise and respond emotionally to it, explore, develop and sustain ideas about it through talk and re-tell and re-enact it.
In response, they then sequence and explore the story structure through story mapping and write with meaning and purpose in a variety of narrative and non-narrative forms through shared and independent writing.
The children write speech or thought bubbles, signs, letters or notes to or from characters in the story, cards, invitations, captions under illustrations/pictures from the story, fact files, questions to ask a character, class books and stories.
In Nursery, the children give meaning to the marks that they have made. In Reception, the children write simple sentences that can be read by themselves and others using graphemes that they know to segment words to write them and writing some common exception words that they have learnt.
They will also explore and interrupt the story further through creative activities including play, art, drama and drawing and through activities in continuous provision including mark making/writing opportunities inside and out using a variety of mark making materials.
Key Stages 1
Each unit of work has two phases:
In Phase 1, children will work towards creating a piece of work which is developing the skills of imitation. This means that they will read the text and respond as readers to deepen their understanding. They participate in a range of speaking and listening activities (freeze framing, conscience alley) and record pieces of writing in response to these very often in role. A large part of this will involve ensuring that pupils are taught specific vocabulary and that they are given the time to develop story mapping skills so that they can retell the story before writing their imitation version.
In Phase 2, children will work towards creating an innovation piece. This will involve following the above writing process, but time will be planned to help children create their own versions of the writing. A significant part of this process will involve encouraging class discussions and exposing children to questions which will help encourage their imagination. The final writing piece will have followed the structure of the original text but will have allowed children the chance to be creative and imaginative.
Key Stages 2:
The writing process for Key Stage 2 will build on the schema of Key Stage 1 and this is so that children are encouraged to confident writers.
In Phase 1, children are expected to start their writing phase at innovation level and will look to building on previous skills of knowing how to identify the purpose of a text, its structure and be able to diagnose how the author has used specific writing tools to have an impact on the audience. Children examine model texts to learn from and take a deeper look at how the author uses language and sentence structures to impact on the reader in order to help inform their planning before completing a writing composition.
In Phase 2, children will move towards an invention level, where they are encouraged to deploy their knowledge of text types as a writer to create their own composition. This will involve them ensuring that they understand the purpose and audience for whom they are writing and will consider how to carry out relevant research to generate ideas, before using a structured approach to plan and order ideas. Oral rehearsal is used as a tool to ensure that children give due consideration to their sentence structure. This phase is to encourage children to take risks with their writing and become more independent and confident as they do so.
Proof Reading and Editing
At St Paul’s, we believe that it is very important that the children are active writers every time they write. Throughout the writing process, the children are proof-reading and editing by reading back sentences and paragraphs as they are writing them. They must understand clearly if they make changes to improve accuracy (spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure), they are proof-reading and if they make changes to make their writing more effective for the reader, they are editing. We want the children to cross out and add in using their pencil or pen during their writing time. Expectation from previous year groups are listed on a non-negotiable sheet for each year group and these support the children in their proof-reading.
A marking code is used so that children become familiar with the expectations in writing.
Assessment
Evidence is collected throughout each term across the children’s wide range of writing. It is collated together at the end and assessed formally.
The National Curriculum objectives are broken down into terms for each year group so that it is clear what standards the writing should be meeting to be at age related at that moment in time.
The writing must evidence statements in transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (structure and purpose and vocabulary, grammar and punctuation).
Moderation sessions take place throughout the year within school, the MAC, the Consortium, the Catholic Primary Partnership and Services for Education. These ensure that our judgements are consistent and national guidance and exemplifications are understood correctly. They provide ongoing training for all staff in understanding these expectations and knowing how to decide upon next steps in learning in order to close any gaps and move children on with their writing.
