Writing

Success in any curriculum area depends upon good basic writing skills. It provides pupils with an important form of self-expression and creativity as well as making available to them the power of the written word. At Linthorpe Community Primary School, our pupils participate in a wide variety of writing experiences. They draw from real life experiences, cross curricular enrichment opportunities and factual or creative pieces inspired by high quality books or events.

Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) is an essential concept in the world of language and writing. At Linthorpe, we promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written language.

High expectations of spelling, punctuation and grammar are infused throughout our whole curriculum with every opportunity to grasp grammatical concepts fully maximised across our school day. Our bespoke approach focusses on meaningful, cohesive spoken and written English skills, which are progressively woven throughout our curriculum.

Our curriculum is designed so that grammar and punctuation skills are firmly embedded in meaningful and engaging writing units. The work given (supported by our LCPS progressive grammar posters) enables pupils, over time and across the school, to consistently achieve the aims of the curriculum, which is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for future learning and employment.

Children master grammatical components through: discrete grammar skills teaching within writing units; extended writing pieces reflecting age-related grammar skills; one-to-one conferencing sessions; writing across the curriculum and within spoken interactions.

Composition

We believe that children need to develop a secure knowledge base in writing, following a clear pathway of progression as they advance through the primary curriculum. Our writing curriculum has been carefully sequenced so that each child experiences a wide variety of genre and is systematically taught a range of sentence level skills.

We engage children in the writing process through exciting stimuli and engaging writing units to draw out their skills and flair for writing. We recognise the importance of nurturing a culture where children take pride in their writing, can write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts. We want to inspire children to be confident writers who take pleasure in the writing process.

Handwriting

In EYFS and KS1, the focus within handwriting sessions is writing position, correct grip, and accurate letter formation. These skills are taught alongside Read, Write Inc. (RWI) sessions and are linked to phonics learning.

As children move off the RWI programme, they move towards joining letters and developing their own fully cursive script to ensure they meet the ‘expected standard’ by the end of Year 6.

Pupils’ ability to improve their own writing is enabled through our innovative approach to marking and feedback. Our teachers use ‘Feed>>Forward’ sessions to provide ‘in the moment’, pertinent verbal feedback, addressing misconceptions and celebrating learning. As a result, pupils feel empowered and proud of their work with a clear understanding of how to be successful.