Writing intent

The O’Brien International School

Intent	Research	Implementation	Impact
Our essentials: ∙ We want our children to be independent, hardworking, literate and numerate. ∙ To be able to communicate their ideas and emotions effectively. ∙ To read easily and to develop a love of books that will last all their life. ∙ To write clearly, accurately and coherently. ∙ To be able to talk confidently in different circumstances. ∙ To listen to others and learn from them. Our curriculum offer ∙ We have worked hard on the order in which knowledge and skills are taught to the children.	EEF research (Improving literacy at KS1 and KS2) indicates that: KS1 Developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills and wider understanding of language. ∙ A focus on developing oral language skills is especially important for the development of a range of reading and writing skills. ∙ A range of speaking and listening activities needs to include those which: extend pupils’ spoken and receptive vocabulary ; and the teacher encourages children to clearly articulate what they are going to say in their writing. KS2 Developing pupils’ language capability to support their reading and writing.	∙ Writing is taught through using a range of different stimuli. These include drama, visits, visitors, poetry, our locality and engaging texts; often the core texts studied in the class. ∙ Children are deeply immersed in a text, with lots of opportunities given to retell orally, to listen and talk about the text and take part in drama activities to extend and improve their vocabulary. ∙ Key vocabulary is identified, both for improving writing and also talking about writing.	What children say about writing: ∙ I love that you can write your own stories ( Year 2) ∙ I love English because I find it very easy. I am a great writer. (Year 3) ∙ I like reading new books and doing book reviews ( Year 4) ∙ I have loved reading different books in class and discussing them. (Year 6) ∙ I love English because I like to write and reading is one of the things I love to do at home and at school ( Year 6) ∙ I like being able to make stuff up and planning a piece of work
Our curriculum builds on what has already been learnt: so that children know more, remember more and then can apply this to unfamiliar situations to deepen their knowledge and skills further. ∙ Our scheme of work for writing is clear and comprehensive. It set out the expectations for each year and demonstrates	∙ Purposeful speaking and listening activities support the development of pupils’ language capability and provides a foundation for thinking and communication. ∙ Pupils articulating their ideas verbally before they start writing. KS1 Teaching children to use strategies for planning and monitoring their writing	The vocabulary is specifically taught, modelled and available for children to use. ∙ Children are encouraged to talk about their ideas before they start writing and are encouraged to read their work to others during the writing process ∙ Teachers explicitly share with the children why the text is	(Year 6) ∙ I like writing because the writing is yours- it can’t be wrong (Year 6) ∙ I like listening to stories then writing them ( Year 1) ∙ I like joining up my letters (Year 2) ∙ My hand feels like it wants to write ( Year 2) ∙ We get to write about interesting things ( Year 5) ∙ I love writing. I like it because I want to get neater ( Year 4)

progression though each year group. Where possible we give children real purpose and audience for their writing.

∙ Children’s writing can be improved by teaching them to effectively plan and monitor their writing. Teaching a number of different strategies, these include ( pre-writing activities ;structuring texts; sentence combination; summarising; drafting ,editing, revising and sharing) ∙ Teachers should introduce these strategies using modelling and structured support. KS2 Teach writing composition strategies through modelling and supported practice ∙ Purpose and audience are central to effective writing. Pupils need to have a reason to write and someone to write for. ∙ Effective writers use seven components (planning, drafting, sharing, evaluating, revising, editing, publishing) and pupils should learn how, when and why it use each strategy. ∙ The strategies should be modelled before pupils practise them with feedback. KS1 Promote fluent transcription skills by encouraging extensive and explicitly teaching spelling. ∙ Children must develop fluency in these skills so they have become automated. ∙ A large amount of practise ,supported by extensive feedback, is required to develop fluency, ∙ Spelling should be explicitly taught. Teaching should focus on spellings that are relevant to the topic or genre being studied. KS2 Develop pupils’ transcription and sentence construction skills through extensive practice. A fluent writing style supports composition because pupils’ cognitive resources are freed from focussing on handwriting, spelling and sentence construction and can be redirected towards writing composition, ∙ Extensive practice, supported by effective feedback, is required to develop fluent transcription skills. ∙ Spelling should be explicitly taught and assessment should be used to focus effort on the spellings that pupils are finding difficult. ∙ Pupils should practise sentence combining and other sentence construction techniques.

successful and model the writing strategies employed by the author. The children are encouraged to use the text as a model and to inspire their own writing. They are given opportunities to draft, edit and publish their work. Children take the opportunities offered to discuss, perform and read their work aloud with others. ∙ We try wherever possible to give the children a ‘real-life’ purpose and audience for their writing. The writing is often linked to other subject areas. ∙ Our teachers follow a well thought out process to teach writing, which includes teaching the specific skills of planning, drafting, evaluating, editing and publishing. Children are given time and opportunities to self and peer edit, as well as acting on feedback from the teacher. ∙ We have high expectations of children’s handwriting and presentation and this is apparent thorough displays in school and children’s books. Staff model correct letter formation at all times and signs around school are often handwritten. Handwriting is taught using a systematic and progressive SOW and children are given regular handwriting lessons where they can practise. ∙ Spellings and Grammar are taught in regular daily sessions and are taught systematically, building on previously taught knowledge and skills. ∙ The Sequence and progression of writing can be seen in the progression grids.

∙ I like it because I can use my imagination (Year 4) Children will enjoy writing and want to improve their writing skills every time they write. Children will be motivated to write and be given ‘real-life’ and meaningful and purposeful reasons to write. Children will achieve age related expectations or above in their writing at the end of the year. Children will retain the knowledge and skills they have learned and build on them year on year. Children will use appropriate vocabulary for their year group and have the confidence to use adventurous vocabulary in their work Children will be taught the specific skills of writing and will be confident in using these skills when they are working independently. Children will be given time and opportunity to revisit their work, edit and improve, help friends to improve their work and understand that this is a valuable process to make their work the best it can be. Children will be given lots of opportunities for talking about their writing, sharing their writing with others and celebrating their good work. In 2019 our end of KS2 results in writing were: 80% achieving the expected standard ( above national) 27% achieving mastery ( above national) In 2019 our end of key stage results in GPS were: 90% achieving the expected standard (above national) 50% achieving mastery ( above national)