Ofsted Good

Learning

Writing

Intent

At Salisbury Manor Primary, writing is a crucial part of our curriculum with very strong links to our reading curriculum. It is our expectation that every child will leave our school with the skills of a proficient writer who is able to express their thoughts and ideas confidently and creatively thorough the use of the written word. Our aim is to create writers who have the following skills:

  • The ability to write with fluency, stamina
  • Can write for a particular purpose taking into account the audience the writing is intended for
  • Can imitate the language, structure and punctuation devices used in effective writing models
  • Can use an extensive bank of vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of writing techniques with which to communicate the written word with an appropriate authorial voice and tone
  • Can display excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is well presented, punctuated, and spelt correctly.
  • Can review, edit and proof-read their writing so that every piece of writing they produce is to the best of their ability and better than the last. 

The Salisbury Manor Writing Curriculum is built on four key principles:

1. Developing pupils’ metacognitive and critical thinking skills
  • Teachers authentically model the writing process and thinking aloud
  • Critical literacy skills are incorporated into the curriculum
  • Pupils become life-long readers and writers
  • Links to other curriculum areas – where appropriate - reflect important real-world knowledge
2. Ensuring the highest expectations for the attainment and progress of all pupils
  • Progression in learning is mapped across units, year groups and key stages
  • A diverse representation of high-quality texts are used as models and examples
  • Teachers have conviction that every child has something worthwhile to write about
3. Supporting all pupils in developing pleasure for writing and discovering their own unique writing voice
  • Pupils have independence and autonomy
  • Pupils have choice to write about what interests and excites them, and reflects their own lives
  • A wide range of opportunities are provided for pupils to write for authentic purposes and audiences
  • Planning acknowledges and values pupils’ own diverse funds of knowledge
4. Developing a secure understanding of the writing process
  • The writing process is recursive and not linear
  • Functional grammar is taught within context
  • New objectives are introduced in small, manageable steps
  • Pupils have frequent opportunities to write at length
  • Planned conferencing and workshopping allows teachers to meet individual pupil needs

Our writing curriculum is also planned in a way which promotes the cultural capital of all our children. We enhance our curriculum, especially for the most disadvantaged, by providing opportunities to write for a diverse range of opportunities including those which allow pupils to write about:

  • Influential and inspirational figures,
  • People similar to themselves,
  • People and places from different cultures
  • Historical concepts
  • Current topics of interest and debate
  • Each year we plan to provide opportunities for pupils to take part in external writing opportunities and competitions in partnership with Waltham Forest and United Learning 

Implementation

At Salisbury Manor Primary, we ensure that our reading curriculum intrinsically links with our writing curriculum so as to give pupils the maximum opportunities for developing a strong awareness of the reason for writing, audience, features and tone required to write effectively across a range of genres.

We use the United Learning English plans for each year group as a source for our ideas and follow the sequence in the long-term plan.

Two weeks prior to starting the unit, staff begin immersing pupils in the text type during their reading sessions. This is to give children ideas and expose them to the features of the text type, grammar features while building a bank of vocabulary.  We ensure that whatever we want the pupils to demonstrate in their own writing, is present in the texts and other reading examples used in the immersion phase.

Impact

Through our very carefully planned and sequenced English curriculum, pupils will make good progress from their own personal starting points. By the end of Year Six they will be able to write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style in, and for, a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. Our pupils will acquire a wide vocabulary and have a strong command of the written word. Most importantly, they will develop a love of writing and be well equipped for the rest of their education in Key Stage 3, 4 and beyond.

United Learning comprises: United Learning Ltd (Registered in England No: 00018582. Charity No. 313999) UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee.
Registered address: United Learning, Worldwide House, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB.

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