Writing
Subject Lead: Mrs H McClure
Intent:
At Seaton Academy, we aim to develop a love for writing, while striving to equip the children with the skills necessary to communicate confidently, clearly and coherently. We embed the teaching of Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPAG) in all of our English lessons, as we hold the belief these skills are essential in every aspect of life. The writing curriculum is designed to introduce children to a wide range of genres, encouraging them to write for different purposes and audiences. We endeavour to support our children to develop an age-appropriate, rich vocabulary, which can help them to bring their writing to life. We aim to provide opportunities for children to develop their writing skills across the whole curriculum, through purposeful and language-rich activities, which are appropriately differentiated to accommodate individual needs.
Implementation:
The writing curriculum at Seaton Academy is implemented in a way that offers a range of opportunities for pupils to engage in purposeful and contextualised writing. Children are taught to write using a range of exciting stimulus to capture their imagination. These include: books, film clips, visitors and real-life experiences. Teachers use modelled writing techniques to demonstrate the ambitious high standards expected of all children, supporting the children to identify the purpose, features, and language structures of different text types. Teachers scaffold children’s writing, using visual and interactive resources, such as story maps, storyboards, and sentence starters, which guide pupils through the writing process at an age appropriate level. We also encourage pupils to reflect and improve their writing by providing opportunities for self-evaluation and peer feedback. Teachers provide opportunities to develop skills such as planning, drafting, editing, and revising. To develop rich vocabulary and promote independence, children are encouraged to use a wide range of resources, including: dictionaries, thesauruses and word banks.
Impact:
The main intended impact of our delivery of writing is that all children enjoy writing; writing for different purposes, audiences and across a range of genres with confidence. The development of writing skills is facilitated by purposeful activities, with children showing enthusiasm for writing in a range of contexts. Children become confident and effective communicators, making good progress from their own personal starting points. Children have the writing skills and writing stamina that is needed for the next stage of their education. Varied vocabulary is developed which can be used across the curriculum and the children will be equipped to apply spelling rules taught to date and grammatical concepts in their work, achieving high-quality, age appropriate outcomes. Through the use of teacher feedback and peer and self-feedback, children’s reflective thinking skills are facilitated, leading to demonstration of independence. We aim for the children to be proud of their writing and have opportunity to display and share their work with a wider audience. This leads to high levels of engagement and motivation for writing.
Writing Progression of Skills 2022-23
English Overview
Handwriting
Spelling
Children in Reception are taught to spell words using Phase 2 and 3 GPC’s and words with adjacent consonants (Phase 4) with accuracy following ‘Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised’. In Year 1, the children continue to follow ‘Little Wandle’ and initially review Phase 3 and 4, before moving on to being taught to spell words using Phase 5 GPCs with accuracy.
In Year 2, children follow Little Wandle Spelling Progression. The children continue to build on the firm foundations developed using ‘Little Wandle Phonics’, strengthening spelling skills and building vocabulary acquisition. Each week the children study words; word parts; their meanings and how this affects spelling. Lessons throughout the scheme consolidate children’s knowledge of common morphemes such as root formations, prefixes and suffixes.
In KS1, Spelling Homework is sent home each week- linked to the children’s learning in school.
EYFS- Writing Examples
KS1- Writing Examples
