Hindley Junior & Infant School

Argyle Street, Hindley, Wigan, Lancashire WN2 3PN   01942 255339   07759 969879
enquiries@admin.hindley.wigan.sch.uk

Writing

Intent


At Hindley Junior and Infant School, our Writing curriculum aims to provide all pupils with the necessary transcription and composition skills required to speak and write fluently in order to effectively and independently communicate their ideas and emotions to others through writing. Successful teaching of Writing at Hindley Junior and Infant School recognises the significance of a language-rich environment alongside recognition of how knowledge of the world and our ideas of the world are describable through a wide vocabulary. To support this, high-quality, grammatically-accurate discussion is effectively and consistently modelled and promoted throughout all year groups by teachers and teaching assistants, encouraging pupils to use similar vocabulary and phrasing when conversing, expressing themselves, building upon initial thoughts or contributing to discussions, consequently developing pupils’ vocabulary thus positively impacting writing ability overall. Teachers also understand the importance of how Reading improves pupils’ knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammatical structures; therefore, through the use of high-quality texts, and regardless of abilities, pupils are encouraged to read as writers, and write as readers, developing expertise in reading, writing and spoken language: the pillars of progression.

 

 

Implementation

 

Our writing curriculum understands the need for developing competence within the two dimensions of transcription and composition in addition to developing the skills of planning, revising and evaluating pupils’ writing. To support our pupils throughout their primary educational career and beyond, our writing curriculum follows a cyclical, evidence-informed process, equipping pupils with the crucial skills which are applicable to all contexts, purposes and audiences. Lessons are taught based upon the objectives outlined within the National Curriculum and follow a six-part writing process which includes a gather, plan, write, edit and revise stage, and for Key Stage Two pupils, a final piece stage. Writing lessons are taught on a whole-class basis, and for pupils who may require further support, or challenge, a wide range of effective and adaptive teaching strategies are utilised to accelerate progress.
Gather:

  • Allows pupils to become fully immersed in the writing experience
  • Exposed to high-quality example texts in order to develop a broad knowledge of the world alongside appropriate vocabulary.
  • Provide pupils with the opportunity to form, articulate and communicate their ideas through a range of engaging activities.
  •  Age-appropriate grammatical skills, linked to text genres, are taught here, allowing pupils to express, shape and craft ideas meaningfully and with increasing confidence.

Plan:

  • Pupils are supported in organising their ideas coherently for themselves as authors, and others as readers, using templates where necessary.

Write:

  • Independently produce their first draft, transferring previously-taught skills.

Edit:

  • Spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors are addressed during this stage.

Revise:

  • To have greater impact upon the reader, or to create further cohesion, pupils may revise part, or all of their writing.

Final Piece:

  • To evaluate the success of their writing, pupils produce a final version of their writing piece.

Through the use of the two statutory appendices, Spelling and Vocabulary, and Grammar and Punctuation,  key knowledge and skills are interwoven through the pillars of Reading, Writing and Spoken Language and pupils are encouraged to use the correct grammatical terms which are integrated within teaching. Teachers insist on high levels of accuracy consistent with taught content in order to promote pupils’ ability to participate fully, and confidently, as a member of society.  Teachers are aware that writing depends on fluent, legible and eventually, speedy handwriting; therefore, all pupils participate in discrete, daily handwriting practice to develop this. Spelling is taught consistently each day for 15 minutes and follows the Read, Write, Inc Phonic and Spelling scheme of work which contains the spelling rules and patterns outlined in the National Curriculum.

 

Impact

 

  • Our consistent approach to the teaching of Writing ensures a positive learning atmosphere is provided for pupils where they can develop passion alongside a strong sense of pride in the writing they produce. Throughout their primary education, pupils are taught a wide range of transcription and composition skills which are not exclusive to Writing lessons, but are transferrable across the curriculum.
    In order to develop our assessment of pupils’ writing further, develop subject knowledge and pedagogy, and to provide our pupils’ with the most accurate and purposeful feedback, our end-of-year assessment frameworks have recently been developed to replicate the end of KS1 and KS2 assessment frameworks; therefore, the more-recent frameworks contain a series of Working Towards the End-of Year Expectation statements. This has enabled teachers to monitor progress, make sound judgements confidently and more accurately, and identify next steps required to developing the individual needs of pupils.

 

 

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