Writing
INTENT | At St Philip's RC Primary School, we believe that writing is a powerful tool for communication, creativity and learning. Our intent is to develop confident, independent writers who can write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, drawing upon a rich vocabulary, secure grammatical knowledge and a love of language. We aspire for all pupils to leave St Philip's as articulate and proficient writers, equipped with the skills they need for the next stage of their education and beyond. Through high-quality texts, meaningful writing opportunities and a carefully sequenced curriculum, children develop the knowledge, skills and stamina required to write with accuracy, fluency and purpose. Writing is intrinsically linked to reading, speaking and listening. We recognise that pupils who read widely are better writers, and therefore our writing curriculum is underpinned by high-quality literature, rich language experiences and discussion. Through exposure to ambitious vocabulary and diverse texts, children learn how authors craft writing and use this knowledge to enhance their own composition. Our writing curriculum is designed to:
Through our Catholic values, we encourage pupils to use writing as a means of reflection, communication and advocacy, enabling them to share their ideas, experiences and beliefs with confidence. By the time children leave St Philip's, they will have developed the skills and knowledge to communicate effectively, think critically and succeed as lifelong learners. |
IMPLEMENTATION | At St Philip's RC Primary School, writing is taught through a carefully planned and progressive curriculum that ensures pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to become successful writers. Our approach is built upon the understanding that children learn to write effectively when they are immersed in high-quality literature, taught the mechanics of writing explicitly and provided with regular opportunities to write for meaningful purposes and audiences. Writing begins with strong foundations in language, communication and early literacy. In the Early Years, children develop oral language, vocabulary and storytelling skills through high-quality interactions, shared stories, role play and the systematic teaching of phonics through the Read Write Inc. programme. As pupils progress through the school, these foundations are built upon through a structured writing curriculum that develops transcription, composition and authorial craft. High-Quality Texts as the Driver for Writing Our writing curriculum is underpinned by carefully selected, high-quality texts from the St Philip's Reading Spine. These texts expose pupils to ambitious vocabulary, rich language structures and a wide range of genres. Through reading as writers, children explore how authors create meaning and apply these techniques within their own writing. Explicit Teaching of Writing Writing is taught through a cycle of:
Children are taught to plan, draft, edit and improve their work, enabling them to understand writing as a process and develop resilience as authors. Sentence Accuracy Sessions At the beginning of every writing lesson, pupils participate in a Sentence Accuracy Session. These short, focused sessions provide frequent opportunities for children to practise and embed the key knowledge and skills required for successful writing. Teachers identify six key objectives, known as the "golden threads" of knowledge, from the St Philip's Writing Framework that are appropriate to their year group. One objective is focused on each day and revisited throughout a three-week cycle to ensure pupils secure, retain and apply this knowledge. Three of these objectives are then selected to form the success criteria for the final extended writing outcome. The Sentence Accuracy process follows a consistent structure across the school:
This consistent approach ensures pupils repeatedly practise essential grammar, punctuation and composition skills before applying them in longer pieces of writing. It also develops pupils' ability to orally rehearse, edit and evaluate their work, leading to greater accuracy, independence and confidence as writers. Vocabulary Development Children are explicitly taught ambitious Tier 2 and subject-specific vocabulary and are given regular opportunities to apply new language in their spoken and written work. Vocabulary is revisited across the curriculum to ensure it is retained and used confidently. Writing Across the Curriculum Pupils are given opportunities to apply their writing skills across all curriculum subjects. Writing tasks are purposeful and allow children to communicate, explain, persuade, inform, evaluate and reflect in a range of contexts. This helps pupils understand the relevance of writing and strengthens knowledge retention across the wider curriculum. Adapting for All Learners Teachers use assessment information to ensure that all pupils can access and succeed within the writing curriculum. Support includes:
Assessment and Feedback Writing is assessed regularly through:
Assessment informs future planning and ensures that teaching is responsive to pupils' needs. Effective feedback supports children in identifying strengths, addressing misconceptions and improving their work. |
IMPACT | The impact of our writing curriculum is reflected in the quality of pupils' written outcomes, their confidence as writers and the strong progress they make from their individual starting points. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, consistent teaching approaches and high expectations, children develop the knowledge and skills required to write effectively, accurately and independently across a range of genres and purposes. Pupils demonstrate increasing fluency, stamina and confidence in writing as they move through the school. They are able to draw upon a rich vocabulary, apply age-related grammatical knowledge and make purposeful authorial choices to engage their intended audience. Through regular opportunities to plan, draft, edit and improve their work, children develop resilience and take pride in producing high-quality written outcomes. The learning objectives are shared with pupils at the beginning of every lesson, ensuring that children understand what they are learning and why. Within each writing unit, pupils are provided with a clear success criteria which incorporates three key writing objectives linked to the unit outcomes. These objectives are revisited throughout the writing process, enabling children to apply key knowledge consistently and independently within their final extended piece. Assessment is an integral part of the writing process. Children receive precise and purposeful feedback linked directly to the success criteria. Teachers identify what has gone well (WWW) and provide clear next steps through "Even Better If" (EBI) guidance. This feedback supports pupils in recognising their strengths whilst identifying how they can further improve their writing. At St Philip's, we believe that effective writers are reflective writers. Pupils are encouraged to evaluate and edit both their own work and the work of others, giving and receiving constructive feedback in a supportive environment. Children respond to feedback and make improvements using purple pen, ensuring that editing is viewed as an important and valued part of the writing process. Teacher assessment is ongoing throughout each unit of work and culminates in the assessment of showcase writing pieces. Teachers use the Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust Writing Assessment Framework to assess pupils against key year-group expectations and writing descriptors. Attainment is tracked at the end of each writing unit, allowing teachers to identify strengths, gaps in knowledge and next steps for learning. Moderation plays a key role in ensuring assessment judgments are accurate and consistent. Writing is moderated regularly within school and across the Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust. Termly moderation meetings provide opportunities for staff to compare evidence, discuss standards and ensure consistency in teacher assessment across year groups and schools. Leaders closely monitor the impact of writing through:
As a result of our approach, pupils leave St Philip's as confident, articulate and capable writers who are well prepared for the demands of secondary education and able to communicate effectively across the curriculum and in the wider world. |