Intent
At Shenton Primary School, we are committed to developing confident, articulate and purposeful writers who can communicate effectively for a range of audiences and purposes. Our writing curriculum is rooted in the expectations of the English National Curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and is informed by current educational research and evidence-informed practice. We place a strong emphasis on the development of spoken language, reading, vocabulary and sentence construction as the foundations for successful writing. Through carefully sequenced learning, pupils progressively build the knowledge, vocabulary and transcriptional skills needed to write with increasing accuracy, fluency and independence. The curriculum prioritises pupils’ fluency in foundational transcriptional and sentence-level skills before expecting sustained extended writing. High-quality, vocabulary-rich texts are at the heart of our curriculum and provide meaningful contexts through which pupils explore language, grammar and authorial choices. Through explicit teaching, modelling and regular opportunities for practice and retrieval, pupils develop secure and increasingly automatic writing skills over time.Our ambition is for every child, regardless of starting point, to become a reflective and resilient writer who can adapt their language and style appropriately, apply their writing across the wider curriculum and develop a genuine enjoyment of language, storytelling and self-expression.
Implementation
Writing is taught daily through a structured and progressive curriculum that is carefully sequenced to build upon prior learning and secure long-term retention of knowledge and skills. High-quality texts provide meaningful contexts through which pupils explore vocabulary, language structures and a wide range of genres. Lessons follow a clear teaching sequence which includes reading as a reader, reading as a writer, explicit modelling, oral rehearsal, planning, drafting, revising and editing. Teachers use evidence-informed approaches, including explicit instruction, shared writing, guided practice and retrieval strategies, to support pupils in becoming increasingly independent writers. Pupils are provided with frequent opportunities to practise and apply taught knowledge so that foundational skills become increasingly automatic and fluent. Speaking and listening opportunities are embedded throughout the curriculum to strengthen oral language and support composition, while vocabulary instruction is carefully planned to develop pupils’ language knowledge and understanding. In the early stages of writing, pupils are explicitly taught how to orally compose, rehearse and write simple, accurate sentences before progressing to more complex and sustained pieces of writing. In the Early Years, writing development is supported through rich opportunities for communication, mark making, phonics and purposeful play-based learning. Continuous provision is carefully designed to ensure that all children access purposeful opportunities to develop communication, language and early writing knowledge.Across the school, pupils are given opportunities to apply and deepen their writing skills across the wider curriculum in meaningful contexts. Assessment is ongoing and responsive, enabling teachers to identify next steps, adapt teaching effectively and ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and pupils with English as an Additional Language, achieve success and make strong progress as writers.
Our Writing book spine below will indicate the books your child will cover this year.
| Name | Format | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Files | |||
| Writing book spine.docx | .docx | ||
English Skills
Spelling
Intent
At Shenton Primary School, we believe that secure spelling knowledge is essential for effective written communication. Our spelling curriculum is carefully sequenced to develop confident, accurate and independent spellers who can apply their knowledge fluently across all areas of writing. Informed by the National Curriculum for England and evidence-informed approaches to literacy teaching, our curriculum builds progressively from pupils’ early phonological awareness and phonics knowledge towards a deeper understanding of the English spelling system. As pupils progress, they develop knowledge of statutory spelling conventions, patterns, morphology and etymology, enabling them to understand how words are constructed, connected and applied accurately within their writing. We aim for all pupils to develop the automaticity and confidence needed to make accurate spelling choices, allowing them to focus increasingly on the composition and communication of their ideas.
Implementation
Spelling is taught through a systematic and cumulative approach that builds upon prior learning and supports long-term retention. In the early stages of learning, pupils develop secure phonological awareness and phonic knowledge through high-quality, systematic phonics teaching. They are taught to apply this knowledge to both reading and spelling, developing increasing accuracy and fluency in their written work.
As pupils move through the school, spelling instruction expands beyond phonics to include the explicit teaching of statutory spelling patterns and conventions, alongside morphology and etymology. Pupils learn how prefixes, suffixes and root words contribute to word meaning and spelling, enabling them to make meaningful connections between vocabulary and apply their knowledge across the curriculum. New learning is carefully modelled and revisited through regular retrieval practice, ensuring that previously taught knowledge is consolidated and transferred into long-term memory.
Pupils are provided with frequent opportunities to practise and apply spelling knowledge through dictation, proofreading, editing and purposeful writing tasks. Vocabulary development is closely integrated with spelling instruction so that pupils deepen their understanding of language while developing greater accuracy in their writing. Through consistent practice, regular review and high expectations across all curriculum areas, pupils develop increasingly fluent, accurate and automatic spelling skills, enabling them to write with confidence and independence.
Handwriting
Intent
At Shenton Primary School, we believe that fluent, legible handwriting is a fundamental component of successful written communication. Our handwriting curriculum is carefully designed to develop the physical, motor and transcriptional skills that pupils need to write with increasing confidence, accuracy and automaticity. In the Early Years, children build the strong physical foundations necessary for writing through a range of gross and fine motor experiences that develop core strength, shoulder stability, coordination, hand strength and pencil control. This reflects the principles set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Strong Foundations in the First Years of School, recognising that secure physical development underpins later writing success. As pupils progress through the school, they are taught a consistent and progressive approach to letter formation, beginning with pre-cursive movements and patterns before learning letters through structured letter families. Our aim is for all pupils to develop a fluent, efficient and legible handwriting style that reduces cognitive load, enabling them to focus on composition, vocabulary and the communication of ideas across the curriculum.
Implementation
Handwriting is taught explicitly and systematically through a well-sequenced curriculum that builds progressively from early physical development to fluent written transcription. In the Early Years, children engage daily in activities such as large-scale mark making, climbing, construction, threading, dough manipulation and other fine motor experiences that strengthen the muscles and coordination required for writing. Alongside this, adults model correct pencil grip, posture and letter formation through purposeful opportunities for mark making and early writing. As pupils move through Key Stage 1 and beyond, they are taught pre-cursive patterns, including circles, spirals, diagonals and loops, before learning letters through carefully structured letter families. Regular, discrete handwriting sessions provide opportunities for modelling, guided practice and independent application. Handwriting expectations are consistently reinforced across all curriculum areas so that pupils apply their developing skills in meaningful writing contexts. Through frequent practice and high expectations, pupils develop increasingly automatic, fluent and legible handwriting, supporting the transcription demands outlined in the National Curriculum and enabling them to communicate their ideas effectively.
Oracy
Intent
At Shenton Primary School, we recognise that language is the bedrock of thinking, learning, and future success. We are committed to developing pupils’ communication and language skills through a structured and ambitious oracy curriculum that enables every child to speak confidently, listen attentively, reason effectively, and express ideas with increasing clarity and precision. We believe that strong oracy skills underpin reading, writing, learning across the curriculum, and positive social development. Our curriculum prioritises the explicit teaching of vocabulary, spoken language, and meaningful interaction to ensure all pupils, regardless of starting point, develop the foundational communication skills they need to succeed.
Implementation
Oracy is taught explicitly and systematically across the curriculum through carefully planned opportunities for discussion, questioning, storytelling, presentation, and collaborative learning. Teachers model high-quality spoken language, teach vocabulary directly, and provide regular opportunities for pupils to practise and apply communication skills in a range of contexts. Classroom routines promote active listening, respectful discussion, and the use of complete and increasingly sophisticated spoken responses. Staff assess pupils’ language development and provide additional support and practice where needed to ensure all children develop fluency and confidence in spoken communication. Through consistent exposure to rich language, meaningful conversations, and high-quality texts, pupils build the knowledge, vocabulary, and communication skills necessary for future learning.