Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, pupils build their knowledge, skills and independence as writers from the Early Years Foundation Stage through to the end of Key Stage 2.

Children develop the foundations for writing through rich opportunities to talk, listen, mark-make and develop their fine-motor skills. They learn to form letters, write their name and begin to use their developing phonics knowledge to write words and simple sentences. Children are encouraged to write for meaningful purposes and to see themselves as writers.

In Key Stage 1, pupils develop their ability to write sentences that are grammatically accurate, coherent and appropriately punctuated. They learn to apply their phonics and spelling knowledge and develop increasing confidence with handwriting and presentation. Pupils write for a range of purposes and audiences, including narratives, poetry, recounts, instructions and information texts. They are encouraged to choose vocabulary carefully and develop their own ideas and voice as writers.

Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils build greater independence, accuracy and sophistication in their writing. They develop a wider vocabulary and learn to make deliberate choices about sentence structure, organisation, punctuation and style. Pupils write for a broad range of purposes and audiences across fiction, non-fiction and poetry, drawing on high-quality texts and their wider learning. They are taught to plan, draft, revise and edit their work, developing an increasingly mature understanding of how writers communicate effectively.

Across all year groups, we place a strong emphasis on vocabulary, grammar, spelling, handwriting, composition and editing. Reading and writing are closely connected, with pupils exposed to high-quality literature and a wide range of authors and text types to inspire and inform their own writing.

Our ultimate aim is for every child to leave primary school able to write clearly, confidently, creatively and accurately, with the skills and enthusiasm to become lifelong writers.

At St Michael’s First School, we recognise that handwriting is an essential skill that supports children’s confidence, fluency and independence as writers. We aim to develop a consistent handwriting style through a clear progression of skills from early mark-making and fine motor development in Nursery, through to fluent, joined handwriting by Key Stage 2. We follow the Little Wandle Handwriting scheme. Click on the images below for more information.