Writing
Writing is a composite skill, bringing together many elements—from handwriting and spelling to vocabulary, grammar, and composition. Each of these components must be explicitly taught and practised so that children develop confidence, accuracy, and creativity in their writing.
At St Andrew’s, we believe that all children can become fluent, engaged writers. Through carefully structured teaching, we ensure they build the fundamental skills they need—developing strong sentence construction, an awareness of audience and purpose, and the ability to plan, draft, and edit their work. As they progress, children learn to bring these skills together, writing with increasing fluency, precision, and stamina across a range of genres.
Above all, we want our children to see writing as a powerful tool for communication and self-expression. Whether crafting a persuasive argument, telling a compelling story, or capturing their ideas in poetry, our pupils learn that writing is not just a skill for school but for life.
Composition
High-quality texts provide rich stimuli for our writing lessons, engaging children in meaningful writing experiences across a range of genres.
Our approach to teaching writing composition includes:
- Considering audience and purpose – Children learn to adapt their writing depending on who they are writing for and why, developing a clear sense of voice and style.
- Gathering examples of language and building vocabulary – We explore high-quality texts to identify effective language choices, helping children expand their vocabulary and develop their own writer’s voice.
- Modelling the writing process – Teachers demonstrate how to organise ideas effectively, structuring writing at the sentence, paragraph, and whole-text level (as appropriate). This ensures children understand how to create coherent, engaging pieces of writing.
Through discussion, shared writing, and independent practice, children develop confidence and fluency in expressing their ideas. By using inspiring texts as a foundation, we encourage children to see themselves as authors, capable of crafting well-structured, purposeful, and creative writing.
Spelling
We are committed to developing confident and accurate spellers through a structured and consistent approach. Spelling is taught both explicitly and in context, ensuring children understand spelling patterns and apply them in their writing.
Alongside modelling spelling during writing sessions, we use Andrew Brodie’s Spelling for Literacy books to systematically cover all the required spelling patterns. This ensures children develop a secure understanding of spelling rules and common exceptions.
To reinforce learning, we:
- Send home spelling homework – Children practise key spelling patterns and words at home to consolidate their learning.
- Test spelling once a week – This allows children to demonstrate their spelling skills in isolation from the other skills which take up conative load when writing.
Through this structured approach, we aim to equip children with the skills they need to spell accurately and confidently, both in their independent writing and beyond the classroom.
Handwriting
We follow a structured approach to handwriting, ensuring that children develop fluent, legible, and confident handwriting as they progress through the school.
- Reception – Children begin by practising pre-writing patterns, developing fine motor skills and control. They also learn the correct letter formation as part of their phonics lessons when introduced to letter sounds, and practice these during their small group writing sessions.
- Years 1 and 2 – Children continue to practise correct letter formation, reinforcing their skills to build consistency and fluency.
- Year 2 – Children are introduced to the different joining strokes, beginning their transition towards a fluent joined handwriting style.
- Years 3 and 4 – Children are encouraged to practise and develop a legible joined handwriting style through regular handwriting sessions.
- Years 5 and 6 – Handwriting practice is provided through intervention sessions for those who need additional support to refine their style and fluency.
By following this structured approach, we ensure that all children develop handwriting that is clear, consistent, and comfortable, supporting their confidence and presentation across all areas of learning.