Writing | Asquith Primary School

The Asquith Way for Writing

Growing to Succeed – Writing the Asquith Way

‘If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.’

Martin Luther

Writing Long Term Plan

Progression In Spelling

Progression In Poetry

Progression In Oracy

Sentence Progression Document

Writing End Points

Cultural Capital in Writing

At Asquith Primary School, writing is a central part of our curriculum. We believe that all children should leave us able to communicate their ideas clearly, accurately and confidently for a range of purposes and audiences. Through our writing curriculum, pupils develop the technical skills, vocabulary and confidence they need to succeed in school and beyond.

Our Writing curriculum is underpinned by 5 golden threads: High aspirations for all, Fostering resilience, Embedding key skills, Respecting diversity and Creating global citizens- with the intent that all our children have the opportunity to grow and succeed.

Writing is taught both as a subject in its own right and as a tool for learning across the curriculum. High expectations, inclusive practice and purposeful outcomes ensure all pupils are supported to grow and succeed as writers.

Intent

Our writing curriculum is designed to help pupils become confident, motivated and independent writers. We want all children to see themselves as writers and to understand that writing has meaning, purpose and impact.

We intend for pupils to:

Write frequently and for clear purposes and audiences
Develop strong transcription skills (handwriting, spelling and sentence construction)
Secure sentence-level knowledge, including grammar and punctuation, taught in context
Build and use a rich and varied vocabulary
Write with increasing stamina, accuracy and independence
Draw inspiration from high-quality texts that reflect a range of authors, cultures and perspectives

Our curriculum is inclusive and ambitious. It is carefully sequenced so that new learning builds on what pupils already know, ensuring all children, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, are supported to succeed.

Implementation

How Writing Is Taught

Writing is taught through a carefully structured sequence that supports both transcription and composition, in line with the DfE Writing Framework.

Each unit of writing is built around a high-quality model text. Pupils study how authors use language, structure and vocabulary before applying these features in their own writing. This close relationship between reading and writing supports pupils to develop a strong understanding of what effective writing looks like.

Frequency and Coverage

Writing is taught daily, with a strong focus on the foundations of writing.
Spelling is taught daily across the school with handwriting taught daily in the lower school and a minimum of 3 times a week in the upper school.

Vocabulary and Sentence-Level Practice

Vocabulary development is prioritised in every year group:

A Word of the Week is explicitly taught, revisited and applied in writing.
Daily sentence practice, both oral and written, strengthens grammar, punctuation and vocabulary use.
Weekly focused transcription sessions, including dictation, support spelling accuracy, sentence construction and automaticity.

This ensures pupils develop fluency in transcription, allowing them to focus more effectively on composition.

EYFS and KS1 – Building Strong Foundations

In EYFS and KS1, pupils focus on becoming physically and cognitively ready to write. This includes:

Developing gross and fine motor control
Secure phonics knowledge to support spelling
Correct letter formation and early handwriting habits

Writing is carefully modelled, practised and revisited so pupils build confidence and accuracy from the earliest stages.

KS2 – Developing Accuracy and Independence

In KS2, pupils build on strong foundations to write at increasing length and complexity. Teaching focuses on:

Fluent handwriting and accurate spelling
Applying grammar and punctuation within meaningful contexts
Writing independently for a range of audiences and purposes

Across all phases, lessons follow a consistent structure of modelling, supported practice and independent application, with ongoing assessment used to support and challenge pupils appropriately.

Writing sequence from Year 1 - Year 6

As a school, we follow the Writing for Pleasure pedagogy. We want children to;

● Perceive themselves as a writer

● Show increased enjoyment and motivation to write

● Make progress in writing in both transcription and composition

The expected teaching sequence for writing:

EYFS

KS1 and KS2

Impact

Through our writing curriculum, pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to write effectively.

By the time pupils leave Asquith Primary School, they:

Write accurately and coherently for a range of purposes
Demonstrate secure transcription skills and fluent handwriting
Use vocabulary thoughtfully and appropriately
Edit and improve their writing with increasing independence
Show pride, resilience and enjoyment in writing

Most importantly, pupils leave Asquith Primary School well prepared for the next stage of their education and confident in their ability to express themselves through writing.

Supporting Pupils at Home

The teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar (sometimes referred to as SPAG) has changed a lot since many parents were at school.

Oxford Owl is a website that offers a very clear and comprehensive explanation of what your child will learn in each year group and how their SPAG skills will develop over time in line with expectations in the National Curriculum.

The website offers an interactive glossary to help explain terms to parents, who can in turn support pupils at home.

Grammar & punctuation at primary school | Oxford Owl

Make sure you also visit the writing composition, spelling and punctuation sections for even more top tips.

Useful Websites for Pupils

Year 1 and 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy2.htm

http://www.sentenceplay.co.uk/

http://www.funenglishgames.com/grammargames.html

Year 3 and 4- You can choose any games from the Year 1 and 2 list too!

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Interactive.aspx?cat=47

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/english/spelling_grammar/