The Writing Implementation - How we teach what we teach
At New Close, pupils have the chance to learn how to write for a variety of purposes/genres, in different forms, and within a range of subjects. The range of purposes and forms covered in the two year cycle is detailed in our genre coverage document. Writing tasks are closely linked with the topic focus for that term. Teachers use the genre progression document and the writing progression documents to support progression in skills and knowledge throughout these genres.
Throughout KS1 and KS2, teachers expose the children to a variety of different lessons during a 2/3-week block of writing, following a sequence for writing that supports pupils as they move towards an independent write. These session are linked to the writing progression documents that detail the different skills and knowledge expectations for each key stage. These lessons may include: analysing texts, discussing features of model texts, generating ideas, creating word banks, planning, drafting and editing. At the end of a writing block, the children have the opportunity to make any final improvements and present their work to the highest possible standard. This also gives a chance to the teacher to assess the child's writing against age-related expectations.
Attention is paid throughout the school to the formal structures of English, grammatical detail, punctuation and spelling. To support our teaching of writing, teachers model writing skills and the use of phonics, spelling, punctuation and grammar strategies in literacy sessions. Shared writing, editing and guided writing sessions are used to target specific needs of the class, groups and individuals.
Teachers at New Close build their writing lessons around the class reader and the topic focus. This allows pupils to draw on their knowledge of the topic and text to help create their own ideas for the content of their writing. Teachers create writing tasks which develop children's understanding of audience and to give them a sense of purpose for writing - a fundamental part of being a successful writer.