THE DESFORD WRITING CURRICULUM

The National Curriculum for Writing is made up of the following elements:

- Transcription & Spelling

- Handwriting & Presentation

- Writing Composition

- Grammar and punctuation.

Our aim is for children who leave school in Year 6 to be able to: 

• Write with confidence, fluency and understanding, demonstrating a range of independent strategies to self-monitor and correct.
• Acquire an interest in words and their meanings, developing a growing vocabulary in spoken and written forms.
• Understand a range of text-types and to be able to write in a variety of styles and forms appropriate to the situation (becoming increasingly aware of the purpose and audience of writing).
• Develop the powers of imagination, inventiveness and critical thinking.

In order to achieve these outcomes, we use an ambitious skills progression map that outlines grammar/punctuation as well as specific text type skills to be covered in each term for each year group, ensuring that all children are supported and some children are challenged to achieve a greater depth standard. This skills progression map is used in conjunction with the overviews of books that drive the learning in each writing unit. These books are carefully selected to ensure a range of our curriculum drivers (as shown on opposite) are threaded into the learning in English, and that age appropriate texts inspire the children’s love of reading and learning development.

The final element of our writing curriculum is the medium term planning road map that is used to progress children’s learning through each unit.  Please see the example below:

Handwriting 

Writing is an integral part of clear communication. Handwriting is taught to ensure children form letters correctly. Well formed letters and a fluid script supports spelling success and improved writing content. 

Using the Nelson Handwriting scheme as a basis, handwriting is taught daily in EYFS and Year 1 to ensure that children are secure with letter formation. In Years 2 and 3, handwriting is taught weekly, with additional intervention, if needed, throughout Year 2 and KS2. 

Spelling 

In Year 2 we follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds spelling programme and from Years 3-6, we follow the Spelling Shed for teaching the spelling rules. Common Exception words have been mapped weekly over the year and are taught separately.