Writing at Checkendon Primary School

Intent: why we teach writing

Our vision to unlock the unique voice within each child, fostering a lifelong aspiration of learning excellence, lies at the heart of the Checkendon Church of England (A) Primary School writing curriculum. Through a coherent programme of composition, handwriting, spelling, and grammar, we aim to develop pupils’ expressive skills, confidence, and creativity within a caring Christian community.

Rooted in our values of respect, integrity, compassion, courage, and hope, we aim for every pupil to become a confident, expressive, and skilled writer. Writing is a vital tool for thinking, communication, creativity, and understanding, enabling pupils to articulate ideas, emotions, and knowledge across the curriculum.

Our writing curriculum is designed to:

• Develop  secure transcription skills, including spelling, handwriting, and punctuation, sequenced progressively from Reception to Year 6.
• Foster composition skills: planning, drafting, editing, and presenting writing for a variety of purposes and audiences.
• Encourage  curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and integrity in expressing ideas in written form.
• Ensure all pupils, including those with SEND, EAL, or disadvantaged backgrounds, achieve success alongside their peers.
• Reflect our Christian values:
  • Respect for others’ ideas and communication
  • Integrity in expressing one’s own ideas truthfully and clearly
  • Compassion through collaborative writing, peer feedback, and audience awareness
  • Courage to take risks in style, vocabulary, and ideas
  • Hope in using writing as a tool to inspire, inform, and connect with the wider world

Writing equips pupils not only with literacy skills but also with character, confidence, and resilience, preparing them to thrive across the curriculum and beyond school.

Implementation: how we teach writing

Early writing – reception class

• Writing is embedded in Communication and Language and Literacy learning, supporting fine motor development, mark-making, and early sentence formation.
• Children begin to develop curiosity about expressing ideas, stories, and observations through emergent writing and phonics-linked spelling.

KS1 and KS2 progression

• We follow a progressive, skills-based approach, ensuring full National Curriculum coverage in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and handwriting.
• Handwriting:  Our updated handwriting policy ensures progression from reception mark-making to fluent, legible, continuous cursive handwriting in KS2. Teachers model and scaffold handwriting across all written subjects.
• Spelling: We are currently monitoring spelling approaches and investigating a new scheme to ensure pupils learn and retain key words and spelling patterns effectively. Pupils apply spelling knowledge in writing, supported by visual, oral, and memory strategies.
• Writing lessons combine transcription and composition skills, enabling pupils to plan, draft, edit, and publish high-quality writing.
• Teachers use  high-quality texts as models to expose pupils to vocabulary, grammar, style, and structure.

• At Checkendon, we use the “I do, We do, You do” approach to teach reading skills. The teacher first models decoding, comprehension, or discussion strategies (I do), then guides pupils through shared practice (We do), before pupils apply these skills independently (You do). This ensures all learners are supported, build confidence, and develop independence in reading, comprehension, and critical discussion.

• Outdoor learning and cross-curricular writing tasks encourage  purposeful writing and connection to real-world contexts.

Inclusion and support

• Lessons are adapted so that all pupils can succeed, using scaffolding, peer collaboration, and adult support. (I do, we do, you do approach)
• Pupils with literacy difficulties are supported through an individual, tailored plan.
• Pupils working at greater depth are challenged with complex tasks, extended writing, and vocabulary enrichment.
• Staff receive CPD to ensure consistent implementation of handwriting, spelling, and composition expectations.

Assessment

• Progress is tracked using  Sonar Small Steps, teacher assessment, and moderation.
• Partnership school moderation meetings.
• Termly  work scrutiny, lesson observations, and pupil voice triangulate data to ensure progress.
• Gaps are identified and addressed promptly, with interventions and targeted support where needed.

Family and community engagement

• Parents engage through workshops, home writing activities, and shared projects.
• Pupils showcase writing through displays, presentations, and exhibitions, fostering pride, hope, and connection.
• Pupils relish the opportunity to write articles for the Parish newsletter and our own school newsletter.

Impact: outcomes and evidence

Academic impact

• Pupils make strong progress in composition, transcription, and application of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• National Curriculum coverage ensures pupils meet expected standards in statutory assessments, including KS1 and KS2 Writing SATs.
• Pupils with SEND, EAL, or disadvantaged backgrounds achieve progress in line with peers.

Personal development and character

• Writing nurtures reflection, independence, and self-expression.
• Pupils develop resilience and courage in drafting and editing, learning to take risks and improve their work.
• Pupil voice shows confidence, pride, and enjoyment in writing across genres and subjects.

Cultural and social impact

• Pupils connect writing to local, national, and global contexts.
• Collaboration fosters respect, teamwork, and compassion through peer feedback and shared projects.
• Writing inspires a sense of wonder, purpose, and agency, reinforcing positive attitudes to learning and moral responsibility.

Evaluation and continuous improvement

• Data, pupil work, and feedback are reviewed termly to inform planning.
• Governors and subject leaders monitor writing across the curriculum to ensure alignment with the school’s Christian vision and Ofsted 2025 priorities:
  • Quality of Education: curriculum depth, progression, handwriting, spelling, and composition
  • Behaviour and Attitudes: engagement, motivation, perseverance
  • Personal Development: character, values, integrity, and collaboration
  • Leadership and Management: inclusion, staff expertise, curriculum intent