Writing

At The Milford Academy, our aim is that all pupils will be able to apply the vocabulary, styles and grammatical choices of authors that they read to their writing; they will write clearly and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of purposes and audiences and they will write consistently in a neat, joined and legible style.

Our English planning follows a consistent structure from EYFS to Y6. This planning sequence weaves together our teaching of age-related vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and reading objectives.  The planning framework consists of three phases (reading as a reader, reading as a writer and writing as a writer/reader). At its heart is a clear focus on the purpose and audience of the writing that the children will publish at the end of the planning sequence. There is also a strong focus on key vocabulary from the text that the children will know by the end of the sequence. The children also complete weekly Writing Workshops to allow them to practise and imbed the skills of writing. Where possible, we adopt a cross-curricular approach where our writing units are linked to the wider curriculum topic.

To ensure progression in line with age-related expectations, we implement the following:

Handwriting

  • Letter formation is taught using the ‘Little Wandle’ scheme in EYFS.
  • The Nelson’s handwriting scheme is used to support the teaching of letter formation/joins in KS1 and KS2.
  • Handwriting will be taught daily in KS1 and 3 x per week in KS2.
  • All children will be able to join by the end of Year 2.

Writing (Vocabulary/GPS)

  • All the vocabulary that is learnt across the wider curriculum is applied within English.
  • Children will be able to write using year group expectations as specified in the writing assessment grids.
  • Spelling is taught in relation to year group expectations as stated in the English Curriculum. The Spelling Shed scheme is used in KS2.
  • Differentiated spelling tests will be taught weekly.
  • Following on from the spelling test, a spelling lesson introducing spelling patterns will be delivered in preparation for the following week’s spelling test.
  • A dictation activity will be part of the weekly spelling test and grammar lessons.
  • Every pupil will complete one piece of writing per week as part of a writing workshop in addition to the taught English units.
  • A piece of extended writing will be completed at the end of each taught unit.

Extended/Independent Writing

This work is collated in the purple books and is largely used to inform summative assessments.

  • The main purpose of the work in this book is to provide evidence to allow teachers to gain a summative rather than formative judgement of children’s writing.
  • By the end of the year, the children will be expected to have a range of writing that shows they are meeting the end of year expectations.
  • Every term the teacher must give an overall assessment judgment using the stage-appropriate grid. The judgement alone is inputted into SIMS in the ‘subject overall’ column.  Leadership teams will have access to books to moderate judgements where necessary.
  • As much as possible the marking is on-going and with the child. The staff use a green and yellow highlighter. The green highlights an objective that has been achieved. The yellow highlights that the objective is not yet achieved.
  • Year 1 children start the year with wide-lined, red books with the aim to progress to the thinner lined purple books by the end of the year. The majority of Year 2 children are expected to use purple books. These purple books are handed to the next teacher each year and are kept in school as a record of progression for family, teachers and children to enjoy.
  • Children will complete a piece of published writing at the end of a sequence of learning and this will be their final piece. It is expected that this piece of writing is the child’s highest possible standard.