Writing
Writing at Malpas Alport
Intent
At Malpas Alport, our goal is to equip children with the skills and knowledge they need to communicate confidently and effectively for a variety of purposes. We believe that strong writing skills are essential for success in both school and life, and are committed to helping every child, regardless of background, develop these abilities.
Fostering a love of language and literature is central to our approach. We immerse children in a word-rich curriculum, where high-quality texts expose them to a wide range of vocabulary and writing styles. We know that a love of reading is closely linked to improved writing skills, as children encounter diverse vocabulary and ideas within texts, which they can then use in their own writing. This approach helps close the vocabulary gap, especially for disadvantaged children.
Our writing curriculum focuses on two key areas: transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (structuring and articulating ideas). Teachers also guide children in how to plan, revise, and evaluate their writing, ensuring that skills are applied across different subjects and contexts.
Implementation
Children are taught a range of writing skills, including:
Planning: Understanding different text types and planning both orally and in writing.
Structure: Writing in a clear and cohesive manner across various text formats.
Vocabulary: Using adventurous language, tailored to the audience.
Grammar: Constructing grammatically correct sentences.
Punctuation: Applying higher-level punctuation for specific effects.
Spelling: Using age-appropriate strategies to improve spelling.
Handwriting: Forming letters correctly according to the school’s handwriting policy.
Impact
By the end of Key Stage 1, children should be able to write with accuracy and use punctuation correctly. By Key Stage 2, children will have the skills they need to succeed at secondary school, confidently discussing and applying their writing skills. High-quality writing is regularly planned, drafted, and published, allowing children to celebrate their progress and achievements.
EYFS
Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing) Children at the expected level of development will:
- Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed;
- Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a
letter or letters;
- Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others
Fine motor skills: hold a pencil effectively in preparation for fluent writing – using the tripod grip
in almost all cases
The books have been carefully selected to engage and inspire, and to provide plentiful opportunities for following the interests of pupils. The Plan, Do, Review model is followed to encourage child-initiated learning and to respond to the interests of the child, additional suggestions for which are included in each unit.
Discrete Teaching of Handwriting
At Malpas Alport, we place great importance on the discrete teaching of handwriting across all phases. In most year groups, discrete handwriting is taught daily with a clear emphasis on explicit teaching and modelling with the aim that by the end of KS2 all pupils will be able to write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by:
choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters
choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task
We use ‘Read-Write-Inc’ phrases to support the teaching and learning of letter formation from EYFS. If you wish to learn more about the handwriting phrases that we use from EYFS, please see the document below.
James Kirkby - Writing Subject Leader 2024
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