ENGLISH - WRITING
Writing
at
Kirkby C ofE
At Kirkby C of E, we are proud to be part of the 'Power of Reading' Literacy scheme. To find out more information click - Power of Reading
Implementation
How do we deliver Writing at Kirkby CE?
In order to help us to develop confident, enthusiastic writers who can express themselves in a variety of different styles and across a variety of contexts, our teaching of writing is often linked to our class foundation subjects. This provides our children with regular opportunities to write for a range of purposes and audiences. In English lessons, we use ‘Power of Reading’ sequences to support teacher planning. ‘Power of Reading’ empowers our teachers to provide quality teaching of writing through children’s high-quality literature. The units of work focus on engaging, vocabulary-rich texts, with a wealth of writing opportunities. Teaching includes focus on fiction, non-fiction or poetry, in line with the 2014 National Curriculum and comprehension, grammar and writing are embedded in lessons.
At Kirkby CE we:
- Teach English on a daily basis across the school
- Tailor our planning to the needs of our classes
- Moderate our pupils’ writing within Key Stages and local cluster schools
- Use high quality texts to plan
- Use Assessment for Learning and encourage our children to be active in reviewing the successes in their work and identifying areas for improvement
- Celebrate children’s progress in writing using the ‘POP wall’ in each classroom and Writer's of the Term
- Use a range of teaching approaches to excite and enthuse pupils (see tab below)
CLPE Power of Reading
Power of Reading is evidence-based teaching of writing through comprehensive sequences that have been constructed so the statutory curriculum for English is covered from EYFS to Y6. A passion for writing is encouraged through a love for reading driven by quality texts. They also enable schools to draw upon the wider curriculum. This in turn, helps build a rich curriculum where Intent and Implementation leads to Impact and improved outcomes for children.
POR is being implemented with success because:
- Writers learn about writing from their reading
- Pupils become familiar with written language through reading aloud and re-reading
- Well-chosen high quality texts (emotive, humour, powerful illustrations)
- Pupils are engaged and enthused using creative teaching approaches
- Relationships between reading, talking and writing are explicit
- Literary styles are explored
- Emotionally powerful texts and stories with dilemmas engage pupils
- Traditional stories are explored
- Pupils focus on a text over a period of time
- A wide range of writing opportunities are planned around a text for a range of purposes and audiences.
Take a look at our work on the twitter hashtags to see examples across all year groups.
#KCEWriting
#KCEOracy
#KCEEnglish
Grammar and Punctuation
Grammar and punctuation is taught in every English lesson, either as the focus of the lesson, or as part of the writing process. English lessons will also provide an opportunity to embed punctuation and grammar skills through modelled and guided writing.
Daily SPaG lessons are taught across KS2.
There is an expectation that grammar and punctuation skills will be demonstrated across the curriculum and concepts applied.
Spelling
At Kirkby C of E we follow the Spelling Shed spelling programme. The children in Y1- Y6 partake in weekly spelling activities. Homework is set online and can be accessed at Spelling Shed.
The assessment of Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar is ongoing as children have opportunities to respond to marking, make changes and discuss with class teachers.
Interventions are provided where necessary to support children who may have gaps in spelling knowledge or need additional challenge or support.
Speaking and Listening
Speaking and listening opportunities in all subjects enable pupils to practise correct grammar in the form of recounting stories and information and constructing sentences effectively. This in turn will impact on children’s ability to write using correct punctuation and grammar and is intended to develop the ‘writing voice’ of all children throughout school.
Handwriting
At Kirkby Church of England Primary School we are proud of our pupil’s handwriting and take care with our handwriting style.
Pupils are encouraged to develop correctly orientated letters from an early age with many creative opportunities to develop gross and fine motor skills utilised daily across Early Years. Letter formation and handwriting is taught and modelled using a range of resources from both RWI and ‘Letterjoin’. Letters are taught in groups according to their formation, curly caterpillars, one-armed robots,long ladder letters and zig zag letters. Pen licences are given to children in key stage 2 who display a consistent fluent joined handwriting style. This can be revoked if handwriting deteriorates. All handwriting pens have black ink only.
Letter Formation
Assessment
Children are assessed using the End of Year Expectations for each year group which can be downloaded below.
Impact
The impact of a high quality English Writing curriculum will be:
- Children will develop a love of writing and be well equipped for secondary school and beyond
- Children make good progress from their own starting point
- Children will acquire a wide vocabulary and use this across the curriculum both orally and in written work
- To enable more children to achieve age related expectations and beyond.
- Parents and carers will have a good understanding of how they can support spelling, grammar and composition at home, and contribute regularly to homework
The impact on our children will be: confident and passionate writers, clear progress, sustained learning and transferable skills.
Useful Writing Websites and Resources
A platform of pictures to inspire writing
SPaG exercises and animations for KS1 and KS2
A handwriting website used across school
Access your weekly spelling assignments here.