Writing

Writing Intent
We intend for our children to become masters of the 4 key writing domains of writing to entertain, writing to inform, writing to persuade, and writing to discuss. Children will begin by mastering verbal fluency and will quickly progress to apply this to the written form. We believe children who have a secure grasp of these 4 domains become better communicators - a skill which is essential to thrive as a global citizen. The study of writing creates the knowledge and skills necessary to help shape the modern world. Students of writing are global citizens, with intellectual prowess and leadership abilities, who are flexible and adaptable to the changing contexts and demands of the modern world.
Writing is a way for children to express their thoughts and ideas. We want to make it enjoyable for the children and focus on quality rather than quantity. We recognise the link between reading and writing and strive to build links between the two areas. Our children need to recognise that writing can sometimes be difficult, but we seek to give them the resilience to think and talk about what they will write, to use models and resources, and use editing and proof-reading to ultimately construct a text that they are proud to share.
We place a great emphasis on speaking and listening at Broseley. We have moved away from the idea that English needs to be solely about writing just because this is the easiest way to show progress to others. James Britton states: “writing floats on a sea of talk.” High quality written work depends on quality speaking and listening and huge amounts of reading.
We provide speaking and listening opportunities through a huge variety of activities such as drama, choral speaking, debate, discussion, and performance. We provide informal opportunities through times such show and tell, story-sharing and book talk to further development in this area.
The programme of study for witing states that, ‘Writing down ideas fluently depends on effective transcription: that is, on spelling quickly and accurately through knowing the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) and understanding the morphology (word structure) and orthography (spelling structure) of words. Effective composition involves forming, articulating, and communicating ideas, and then organising them coherently for a reader. This requires clarity, awareness of the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Writing also depends on fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting.’
At Broseley C of E, our English curriculum builds a strong foundation of knowledge and skills through an approach that teaches both the substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills that pupils will need. Pupils are taught to approach their learning as a writer. Both the knowledge and skills build sequentially as pupils move through the school and are expertly mapped to ensure that pupils can make links with what has already been taught. 
Within the English curriculum, pupils are exposed to and taught the vocabulary related to the genre of writing they are studying. They can use this expertly, initially through verbal communication and as they progress through school this will be evident within their writing. The outcome will allow them to produce well-formed texts which has a clear audience and purpose.
 Our aim is to empower our children so they can aspire to become an expert in the study of English – if they choose to.

Implementation: How is English taught at Broseley C of E? 

English in EYFS
The Process:

• Exposure to vocabulary and verbal communication
• Phonics (continued throughout)
• Use of vocabulary to articulate thoughts leading to the construction of full verbal sentences
• Mark making
• Labels
• Words (synonyms) within given sentences
• Simple sentences with the application of phonic knowledge using a modelled structure.

English in EYFS is intrinsically linked to phonics and speaking and listening. From the outset, children are taught how to articulate their thoughts about the world around them through highly skilled modelling and questioning which enables them to reach their Early Learning Goals. Children are exposed to challenging vocabulary and are encouraged to use this vocabulary when verbally constructing sentences. Children in Reception have regular practice with mark making. They are taught that writing is a form of communication and when mark making, the children are explicitly taught that when writing, we are recording ideas. They know that global citizens make meaning from marks. They are exposed to many forms of writing (shown letters, dinner list, notes, books, postcards etc.) and will be encouraged to discuss where they see different marks.

Children are taught discrete phonic knowledge every day and explore language with shared reading, imaginative play, and the practice of fine and gross motor skills. They are introduced to the lenses of writing (which are used throughout the school) which drenches the children in language. This new vocabulary is then applied to a new context e.g., during child-initiated sessions.
Writing is the last part of the process. Everyday learning: phonics, mark making, fine and gross motor skills, and explorative play works towards the children being a writer, where they write about real recounts, retelling stories leading to more imagined texts. This process, with the use of the writing lenses, ensures consistency and readiness when moving into Year 1 and beyond.

English in Key Stage 1 and 2
The programmes of study for writing at key stages 1 and 2 are constructed similarly to those for reading:

• transcription (spelling and handwriting)
• composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing).

Transcription Y1 to Y6:

In addition to letter formation taught as part of phonics sessions, we have explicit handwriting lessons, and we expect children to take pride in their written work and have a high standard of presentation. As with everything in school, we do not expect everything to be perfect, but we expect children to give 100% effort and be proud of their books and want to show them to parents, staff, and peers.
We teach spelling skills daily building on from systematic phonics and look at the spelling rules and patterns throughout the school. We then provide opportunities for pupils to use the words in context. Pupils are given these spellings as homework. We believe that children with needs in spelling should receive additional and appropriate phonics or strategy teaching in school and we provide this.
Spelling in Years 1 and 2:
In Year 1, in addition to daily phonics, the children are given a set list of spellings that are linked to the sounds they are learning that week as well as common exception words. These are sent home on a Monday to be practised with parents/guardians and these spellings are tested on a Friday.
In year 2, most of the children follow the same spelling/vocabulary format as KS2; however, children who did not pass the phonics screening have their own targeted words based on their phonics teaching. This includes 4 words with the same sound and then 2 tricky words.
Children with specific spelling difficulties are provided with sounds to choose from when writing their spellings e.g if they have light, fright, sight, night, the sounds igh, ai, oa, ow are given to allow children to access their spellings.
From Key Stage 2, children are discretely taught vocabulary and spelling sessions using a strategy that has been informed from research from the Educational Endowment Foundation which states there is extensive evidence which shows that a knowledge of vocabulary linked to spelling helps to develop pupils’ language capability to support their reading and writing.
Teaching pupils to use morphemes (root words, prefixes, and suffixes) can develop their vocabulary while also improving phonological awareness, decoding, and spelling. The National Curriculum provides lists of words that pupils must learn to spell at Year 3–4 and Year 5–6. Virtually all these words can be modified by using morphemes, so if pupils learn 100 words, they should be able to read, spell, and understand several hundred words, as well as having developed an understanding of word-building, which they can apply to other vocabulary.

Spelling Process in KS2:

• Diagnostic test of high frequency words at the start of the year. These form the children’s personal spelling targets.
• Teach spelling patterns/prefixes only grouping words from the statutory spelling lists.
• These spelling words used within vocabulary lessons.
• Only six words per week to learn – reduce cognitive load, more achievable – particularly for poor spellers/dyslexic students.
• Children learn 5 spelling/vocabulary words taken from their year group list. One new word each day and one word from their personal spelling target words.

Effective learning will reduce cognitive load (one spelling per day), be manageable (only six spellings per week), be personal and differentiated for need (one spelling per week is taken from personal spelling targets identified during diagnostic tests), and learning will be regularly revisited.
At the end of each year, every child will be introduced to the spellings and meanings of 100 new words (knowing the root word spellings and being taught prefix/suffix will result in the ability to spell related words: create, creation, creativity, creative).
 In addition to this, the children will learn 20 of their personal spelling words. Both the statutory spellings and the children’s personal spellings will be revisited 3 times throughout the year.
Revisiting the spellings will give the children the best chance of retaining this new learning and moving it to their long-term memory.

KS2 Spelling Long Term Plan: