Writing

Writing

Vision

At Fordbridge, we aim to create an intrinsic love of writing through an engaging and relevant curriculum. Our commitment lies in nurturing confident, expressive and effective writers who not only convey their thoughts with clarity but also harness the power of words to inspire, inform and connect with others.

Intent

Language mastery: At Fordbridge, our curriculum emphasises the mastery of language, empowering children to articulate their ideas with precision and sophistication. Writing lessons provide continuous exposure to advanced vocabulary and grammar, fostering the development of effective written communication skills that can be applied across various contexts.

Contextualised grammar lessons: We strive to instill in our children an understanding and appreciation of the mechanics of language needed to become an effective writer and communicator. Grammar is taught through context to enhance its relevance and allow children to apply new concepts more quickly.

Composition skills: Our explicit focus on teaching composition skills at Fordbridge enhances children’s ability to organise their thoughts coherently and produce well-structured pieces of writing.

Creativity and imagination: We nurture the creative spirit within our children, encouraging them to explore their imagination through writing. Our curriculum – and extra curricula offer – allows children to unleash their creativity, whether creating fictional stories, poems or personal reflections, formally expressing opinions or thoughts, fostering a deep appreciation for the art of storytelling – a host of creative outlets are explored within the Fordbridge writing and oracy vision.

Critical analysis: At Fordbridge, we cultivate the skills necessary for our children to become reflective writers who can evaluate their own work and that of others. Through a focus on revising and editing, children learn to critically assess the themselves as well as their peers writing, leading to continuous improvement in their written communication skills.

Inclusivity: Our curriculum is designed to accommodate the diverse needs of all learners, including those with special educational needs or who are disadvantaged. Teachers adapt their lessons and target support where necessary to ensure that every student makes progress with a focus on independence. Pupil’s working 2 or more years below, receive a bespoke offer through the Birmingham Continuum Toolkits.

Assessment and progress monitoring: At Fordbridge, we employ a range of assessment tools to gain a comprehensive understanding of each student’s writing proficiency. In addition to ongoing teacher assessment, extended pieces of writing are used to evaluate writing. All teachers attend Trust and network moderation termly to clarify their judgements against other schools. Within Fordbridge we proudly have 3 local authority moderators- enabling continuous CPD and coaching around assessment for all staff.

Continuous curriculum development: Our writing curriculum adapts to incorporate the most recent research, case studies, educational progress and evolving context of the school. This commitment guarantees that our writing program stays up-to-date, efficient and in harmony with the changing requirements of our children.

With these aims at the heart of its design, our writing curriculum provides our children with the skills and passion necessary to become lifelong writers who can confidently write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Implementation

Early Writing

From the moment children start at Fordridge, which for many is 2 years old, we encourage mark making through continuous provision and exploration. As emergent writers, children are equipped with the skills to form letters clearly and legibly, allowing them to begin to express their ideas. Once children are enabled with these skills, they are ready to write with greater independence and confidence.

The Read, Write Inc programme, allows children to build on their emerging writing skills through ‘Fred Talk’, ‘Hold a Sentence’, scaffolded writing outcomes and oracy. The programme’s writing structure provides children with progressive learning and development of grammar skills.

The Writing Structure

Our writing curriculum at Fordbridge Primary School is designed to be progressive and sequential, providing students with a clear path to developing their writing skills. Each year, carefully selected texts ad topics are used as stimuli to inspire and engage children’s interests, covering various genres and grammatical skills. Our goal is to cultivate enthusiastic and ambitious writers. This is achieved through the Talk for Writing model from EYFS to end of KS1.

Reading into writing

At Fordbridge, we harness the power of ‘reading into writing’ to bridge knowledge gaps among our students. By immersing ourselves in literature and using books as a shared language, we inspire and unify our students, enhancing comprehension, empathy and creativity. This approach seamlessly blends reading and writing, deepening their connection to literature and enriching their vocabulary.

Model texts

Model texts serve as exemplary guides, showcasing the quality of writing that students will strive to achieve by the unit’s end. They offer tangible examples of the grammar and syntax to be explored during lessons and introduce relevant key vocabulary.

Vocabulary

We are dedicated to expanding every child’s vocabulary across the curriculum, including subject-specific language. We meticulously identify and select vocabulary to enhance their understanding. This identified vocabulary is mapped for each English text and other curriculum areas and we use Word Aware strategies to teach it effectively.

Grammar

We emphasise the importance of teaching correct punctuation and grammar in writing. These skills are thoughtfully integrated into each English text, providing rich and varied opportunities for application. This learning is then consolidated through our approach to writing in the wider curriculum.

Composition

At Fordbridge, we teach composition through model texts, explicit instruction in composition skills and focused editing practice. We also emphasise collective reflection, allowing students to compare and evaluate texts and where applicable, the opportunity to present. This holistic approach fosters confident and proficient writers.

Handwriting

Throughout school, handwriting is taught discretely. The focus in EYFS is on the correct formation of phonemes using a memorable handwriting phrase emphasising correct pencil grip.

Once children have established correct letter formation, from Year 1 onwards they are taught a pre- cursive script through the Letter Join programme. As children advance to Key Stage Two, they are taught to correctly join their letters, developing their own style of handwriting. Handwriting lessons are taught discretely is KS1 and through the modelling process for the majority of pupils is KS2.

As an incentive to produce written work to a high standard, children aim to achieve their pen license earning the privilege of producing written work with a pen. Ultimately, this results in children being awarded a fountain pen.

Assessment

Through our carefully mapped English and wider curriculum planning, we provide children with multiple opportunities to showcase their developing writing skills. In the moment feedback is given verbally to children in all lessons and is a key part of formative assessment. As independent learners, children are encouraged to reflect and self-assess their work using genre checklists.

Staff engage in both external and internal moderation to clarify judgements and work with colleagues across the LA and MAT.

Fordbridge Community Primary School