Writing

All children will be fluent, effective writers and communicators so they are confident in the literary world.

At Kents Hill Junior School we understand a high-quality English education will teach pupils to speak, write and read fluently, which is essential to prepare children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life and the society around them. English holds a central place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English enables pupils to speak and write fluently, so they can communicate their ideas and emotions effectively. Through reading and listening, they also learn to understand and engage with the ideas of others. Reading, in particular, allows pupils to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature plays a vital role in this development. It also helps pupils to acquire new knowledge and build on what they already know. Strong language skills are essential for full participation in society. Pupils who do not learn to speak, read and write with confidence and fluency may find themselves at a disadvantage and unable to fully engage in the world around them.

 

Aims

The overarching aim for English in the National Curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy. This is achieved by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The National Curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils: 

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding 
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information 
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language 
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage 
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences 
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas 
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Skills: 

The following skills are planned carefully across our writing lessons, across Key Stage 2. 

• Transcription - spelling, handwriting and presentation
• Composition - planning, drafting, writing, evaluating, editing, proofreading and performing
• Vocabulary
• Punctuation
• Grammar

Knowledge:

Each year group has a specific set of skills that need to be achieved by the end of the year which is explicitly outlined in our yearly moderation documents. Skills are built upon year after year as they progress through our school. Their knowledge of language, gained from stories, high quality writing model texts, plays, poetry and non-fiction supports their fluency as readers, their facility as writers, and their comprehension. The skills are revisited and applied through our weekly writing lessons, reading lessons, our GPS lessons and wider activities such as whole school assemblies or events.

Experiences: 

At the beginning of our weekly and biweekly units, we provide pupils with a ‘hook’ for engagement and raise curiosity about their unit of learning. This involves partnered and group work, movement, drama and reading experiences that comprise a multitude of literature across genres and purposes of writing. On a weekly basis, pupils identify grammatical features through the use of our ‘WAGOLL’ model. This then feeds into their own writing as the week progresses.

Pupils develop their writing skills through units covering:

Writing to inform

Writing to entertain

Writing to persuade

Writing to discuss