WRITING
At Paxton, we strive to ensure that every child by the end of Y6, can write in a manner which is clear, grammatically correct and engaging. We view writing is a key life skill. Children are provided with daily opportunities to developed their writing to enable the development of skills to successfully write for a range of audiences and purposes.
Children’s enjoyment of writing will be evident in their bold vocabulary choices, neat presentation and clear understanding of both purpose what they have written about. These skills, knowledge and passion for writing will lead to success in later academic life, employment and personal endeavours.
IMPLEMENTATION
Teachers plan all of the writing lessons around a core, language-rich book which the children are immersed in for approximately three weeks. This allows them time to develop a deeper understanding of the character’s, plot line and structure of the book. In class, teachers effectively model writing, so children understand the characteristics of different genres. Additionally, children are taught key grammar concepts which helps them to write accurately and learn the correct terminology, which are discussed and applied to ensure high quality written outcomes.
Children will encounter the same grammar skills across the school to ensure they have mastered the concepts thoroughly and are introduced to increasingly complex grammar concepts each year as they progress. In the classroom, word banks and displays guide children towards both appropriate and creative vocabulary choices, while paragraph plans often help children to structure their work logically.
By the end of Y6, children will have been taught how to master writing for a range of texts including narratives and writing to entertain, writing to inform, writing to persuade and writing to discuss. These themes progressively spiral throughout the school, so children develop confidence and ‘expertise’ by the end of Y6, with these skills having been committed to longterm memory.
Children also have discrete handwriting and spelling lessons. The spelling lessons are a continuation of the Little Wandle phonics programme to ensure consistency and a smooth transition between Key Stages.
IMPACT
To ensure consistency throughout the school, leaders ensure all Staff receive regular training and are confident in the pedagogy, planning and delivery of lessons and the use of feedback, marking and formative assessment to ensure progress.
Termly summative assessments are monitored and appropriate intervention put in place following Pupil Progress meetings with SLT.
Parents are provided with detail of books that we use in class.
Parents are provided with information throughout the year about how to support their child in writing, including overview documents.
Learning walks provide opportunities for both formal and informal feedback, which evidences high quality provision.
Regular investment is made in new, language-rich texts as a stimulus for writing.
As a result of this, children make good progress from their starting points in all year groups, quality First teaching and children’s learning is consistent and children are able through pupil voice to express their motivation and enjoyment of writing.
