Writing

Writing at Little Digmoor plays a vital role in our curriculum and is central to teaching and learning throughout the school. We aim to develop confident, enthusiastic writers who can communicate their ideas clearly and effectively for a range of purposes and audiences.

Children are provided with opportunities to write across a wide range of contexts, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Where appropriate, meaningful links are made across the curriculum and to local, national and global contexts, giving children a clear purpose for their writing.

Children begin their journey as writers in EYFS and progressively develop their knowledge, skills and confidence as they move through school. Key writing skills are deliberately revisited and built upon so that children can secure prior learning and apply it with increasing independence.

How is writing taught?

English lessons

At Little Digmoor, our teaching of writing is underpinned by the Lancashire English scheme of work and Lancashire LPDS teaching and learning resources. These provide a progressive framework for the teaching of writing from Year 1 to Year 6, ensuring that the requirements of the National Curriculum are taught and revisited appropriately.

High-quality texts and purposeful writing opportunities are used to inspire and engage children. Across each year group, pupils experience a range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry and learn to write for different purposes and audiences.

Writing units develop children's understanding of the writing process alongside the explicit teaching of sentence composition, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. Teachers model writing and provide opportunities for children to explore, practise and apply new skills before using them increasingly independently in their own writing.

Spelling

In Early Years Foundation Stage and year 1, the spelling of words is taught in combination with reading through the Little Wandles Phonics Scheme. However in year 2, the children are taught spelling through the Little Wandles spelling scheme. In key stage two, children are taught spelling through a scheme called Spelling Shed. Within each year group, there are statutory words that children must learn to spell as well as learning about different spelling rules and patterns in order to be competent spellers when they are writing.

Handwriting

At Little Digmoor, we use Letter-join to provide a consistent and progressive approach to the teaching of handwriting across the school.

Children begin by developing the foundations needed for successful handwriting, including correct letter formation, appropriate sizing and positioning of letters. As they progress through school, they develop greater control, consistency and fluency and, when developmentally appropriate, learn how to join letters correctly.

Regular handwriting teaching and practice supports children in developing a fluent and legible handwriting style. We recognise that children develop their handwriting skills at different rates and provide additional support and intervention where appropriate.