Writing
In our Early Years and Key Stage one classrooms, we use the Talk for Writing approach to teach English. This method encourages children to engage with stories and texts through speaking, listening, and storytelling, helping them to internalise language patterns and structures. By retelling familiar stories, acting out narratives, and creating their own versions, children develop strong language skills and a love for writing. Talk for Writing provides a creative and interactive way for students to build confidence in their communication skills, laying a solid foundation for their literacy development.
This approach continues into Year Three to allow for the children to transition between the Infant School and the Junior School. Once the children enter Year Four, a text-based approach is used to teach writing.
In Year 4 and beyond, children continue to write using Talk for Writing strategies but are now able to be more independent and creative in their work. To increase their levels of independence, teachers gradually move away from the more scaffolded approach and English units are taught with a similar structure but with less 'hand holding' giving the children more onus over their writing.
Each English unit is based around a carefully chosen text, which the children will study, consider the tools that are used to create it and then practice the skills of mastering these tools before then independently writing their own versions.
The INTENT of our subject curriculum is to ensure we ignite the SPARK by developing children’s individual writing style (voice) and enjoyment of writing to share their ideas with the world.
It is our aim in writing that all children:
- Feel SUPPORTED in their writing journey to progress in their own ability through the awareness of writing skills
- Have a sense of PRIDE when sharing their published piece of writing as a result of the writing process
- ACHIEVE by enjoying writing a range of genres that are individual to their own style with an awareness of the reader
- Demonstrate RESPECT to show everyone they have the ability to become an accomplished writer
- KINDNESS towards others by demonstrating a love for writing and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary when creating their own pieces of work