Writing
At Viewley Hill Academy, we aim to develop confident, fluent and enthusiastic writers who can communicate their ideas, knowledge and emotions effectively. Our writing curriculum is carefully designed to build children’s knowledge and skills progressively from Reception to Year 6, ensuring that all children become successful writers who can write for a range of audiences and purposes.
Through high-quality texts, meaningful experiences and cross-curricular opportunities, children develop their understanding of different genres and learn how to plan, draft, edit and publish their work. Writing is taught through a consistent approach across the school, with teachers using the I Do, We Do, You Do model to introduce new learning, provide guided practice and support children to write independently. We place equal importance on composition, vocabulary development, grammar, punctuation, spelling and handwriting, enabling children to communicate with increasing accuracy, creativity and confidence.
We use the Lingfield Education Trust (LET) Writing Endpoints from Reception to Year 6 to ensure clear progression in transcription, sentence structure and composition. These endpoints help teachers assess children’s development and ensure that all children are supported and challenged to achieve their full potential as writers.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
In Reception, our writing curriculum focuses on developing the foundations needed for successful writing. Children take part in daily phonics, handwriting, fine motor and language activities that help them build the skills required to become confident writers.
We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, where children learn to hear, identify and segment sounds before applying this knowledge within their writing. Alongside this, children are taught correct letter formation, pencil grip and posture through daily handwriting sessions. Children are encouraged to orally rehearse sentences before writing and use the sounds, words and vocabulary they have been taught to communicate their ideas.
As the year progresses, children move from writing letters and words to writing captions and simple sentences with increasing independence. Clear curriculum endpoints ensure that children develop the knowledge and skills needed to be ready for writing in Year 1.
Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
From Year 1 to Year 6, children continue to develop their writing through a carefully sequenced curriculum built around high-quality texts and meaningful writing opportunities. Children learn to write for a range of purposes and audiences, developing their skills in composition, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and transcription.
Each unit follows a consistent writing process, allowing children to explore model texts, develop vocabulary, orally rehearse ideas, plan, draft, edit and improve their writing before publishing a final piece. Through the I Do, We Do, You Do approach, teachers model writing strategies and provide opportunities for guided and independent practice, helping children become increasingly confident and independent writers.
Handwriting is taught discretely at least three times each week through our progressive handwriting curriculum, which is based on the Morrells Handwriting Approach. This ensures that children develop correct letter formation, consistency, fluency and pride in presentation. We have high expectations for posture, pencil grip and presentation, teaching children to sit comfortably and correctly for writing with their feet flat on the floor and their backs supported by their chairs. Children are encouraged to use an effective tripod grip to support pencil control, stamina and fluent, legible handwriting. These expectations are embedded throughout the school and reinforced across all areas of the curriculum.
Spelling is taught discretely through the Lingfield Education Trust (LET) Spelling Curriculum, which is aligned with the National Curriculum. Daily spelling lessons focus on spelling patterns, phonics knowledge, word structure and strategies for remembering and applying spellings accurately. Previously taught spelling patterns are revisited regularly to help learning move into long-term memory and support children in applying their spelling knowledge confidently across the curriculum. Weekly Spelling Bees are used as a teaching tool to practise, discuss and correct spellings, helping children become accurate and confident spellers.
Through this progressive approach, children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to communicate effectively, write for a range of purposes and audiences, and succeed as writers both within school and beyond.
