Writing

Writing Curriculum Intent - Bishops Lydeard Church School

How We Structure our Curriculum

• National Curriculum as the backbone — Our writing curriculum maps the statutory content and expectations from the National Curriculum into a clear, progressive skills and knowledge journey from Reception to Year 6.
• Literacy Tree framework for coherence — We use the Literacy Tree planning framework to sequence learning within units: high-quality model texts, reading as writers, explicit teacher modelling, scaffolded practice and independent composition. This gives teachers a coherent sequence that moves pupils from imitation through supported application to independent writing.
• Clear skills progression — A school-wide writing skills progression document breaks down the building blocks of writing (transcription, sentence construction, grammar, vocabulary, composition and text structure). Each year group has explicit, cumulative expectations so teachers and pupils know what to revisit, embed and extend.
• Knowledge-rich text choices — Carefully selected quality texts give pupils the subject knowledge and vocabulary they need for reading and writing in different genres. Texts act as both the stimulus and the model: pupils analyse features, practise targeted skills and produce purposeful final pieces for a real audience.
• Assessment - Children's skills are assessed at a granular level to ensure that targeted input and scaffolding allows them to catch up on missing gaps in knowledge, and leave school ready for the future

Handwriting

• Consistent, progressive approach — From Foundation Stage fine‑motor work through daily discrete handwriting practice. In Reception and beyond, we follow a single, consistent handwriting progression that links closely with early phonics.
• Fluency first — We prioritise letter formation and joins so handwriting becomes automatic; once transcription is fluent pupils can focus their working memory on planning, vocabulary and composition rather than on how to form letters.

Spelling

• Explicit progression and practice — Our spelling curriculum is taught through a sequenced progression that links to phonics in the early years and to word‑level patterns, morphology and etymology in later years. Spelling practice is daily, cumulative and applied in genuine writing contexts so pupils become competent, confident spellers who can concentrate on composition.

Teaching and Classroom Practice

• Model → Guided → Independent small steps teaching — Teachers model the writing process, provide scaffolded opportunities for oral composition and sentence-level practice, then remove supports as pupils gain independence. Oral composition is used routinely so pupils can rehearse language before writing.
• Deliberate rehearsal of foundations — Handwriting, spelling, sentence construction and grammar are taught explicitly and practised regularly so transcription and sentence-level skills do not limit composition.
• Responsive teaching for high needs and mobility — We identify pupils who need rapid catch-up (including those with SEND, high mobility or gaps in prior learning) and provide short, evidence-based interventions alongside high-quality first teaching so they access the same curriculum ambition.

Assessment, Feedback and Editing

• Assessment for learning — Formative assessment and short, focused assessments of key skills inform next steps. Book studies and outcomes evidence progression of knowledge and writing stamina across a unit.
• Purposeful feedback — Feedback focuses on foundational skills of spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting. Toolkits and success criteria give clear feedback for children: improving content, structure or the application of taught features. 
• Editing — Taught as a discrete phase in the writing process where pupils are explicitly shown how to revise content and structure. Short, scaffolded editing routines are modelled with worked examples. Children work independently, with peers and in small supported groups

What Success Looks Like for our Pupils

• Fluent transcription and accurate spelling so pupils can concentrate on composing for meaning and audience.
• Clear year‑on‑year development in sentence construction, vocabulary and text organisation measured through moderation, book studies and assessment.
• Pupils demonstrate increased writing stamina, produce purposeful final pieces and show pride in published work.
• Vulnerable learners make measurable progress through a combination of inclusive classroom practice and targeted support.

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