- To create an environment that engages and stimulates pupils
- To teach the skills and knowledge which empowers pupils to become confident, fluent, effective writers for a range of purposes
Teaching and Learning
Within EYFS writing contains the following elements:
- Texts and stories are linked to the key themes from the long term planning cycle or current topic.
- A heavy focus is given to gross motor skills, fine motor skills, finger gym and promoting the ethos of mark marking matters.
- Write Dance, Dough Disco and Yoga are all implemented to contribute towards muscle development for the progression into early writing.
- High quality continuous provision and effective modelling ensures that all EYFS children are exposed to a range of mark marking and writing experiences, which link to all 7 areas of the EYFS curriculum.
- The specific area of literacy enables practitioners to teach the development of writing through role play, drama, story focus, music, moving and handling developmental stages ensure children learn the basic skills of tool use to begin to record letter formation, captions, writing for different purposes and simple sentence structures.
This is in addition to daily phonics and guided literacy sessions for reception age children, which are bespoke for unique child learning and next steps, to ensure the development of early writing is created.
Where appropriate, KS1 and KS2 classes to follow an approach to writing that contains the following elements:
- A unit of work will focus on a specific genre (i.e. Narrative – adventure.)
- In each unit, pupils will have the opportunity to write three* full versions of the text type.
- Children start with a modelled text which they reflect upon, what they like or do not and why. They then unpick the text, focusing on key features including vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. Children then decide on the audience and purpose of the text.
- During the rest of the cycle, children will, depending on the need, be exposed to modelled, shared which demonstrate authorial intent as well as application of GPS skills, and independent writing, editing as they go.
- Where necessary, staff will adapt the approach to best support the needs of individual learners and cohorts
- Text maps are utilised in, Key Stage One, throughout the unit to allow the children to dissect and understand a model text.
- All GPS is embedded within the context of the writing and focuses on the author’s intent when utilising any of these skills.
- Discrete sessions of GPS are delivered, at the start of each lesson, to support the forthcoming sessions or to close gaps in learning.
- Sessions incorporate ‘celebrations’ of pupils work, next steps for pupils (identified using feed forward marking journals) and the opportunity to edit and improve previous writing, both independently and with coaching.
- All marking of writing should be done in conjunction with the school’s marking and feedback policy.