At Charnwood Primary Academy, writing is a crucial part of our curriculum. All children from Foundation Stage to Year 6 are provided with many opportunities to develop and apply their writing skills across the curriculum. We follow the National Curriculum and the EYFS framework.
Our intention is for our pupils to be able to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. To be able to do this effectively, pupils will focus on developing effective transcription and effective composition. They will also develop an awareness of the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. We also intend for pupils to leave school being able to use fluent, legible and speedy handwriting as well as being confident spellers.
At Charnwood, we encourage children to love writing through delivering quality writing lessons that are centred around a high quality text. We have specifically chosen texts and experiences that excite and interest the children. Each lesson focuses on an expected grammar skill for their year group, building their knowledge and ability to use a single skill so that they become confident and proficient in using it in their writing. Throughout our writing units, we also share challenging vocabulary so that children expand their language choices when writing for a range of genres. Each unit builds up to a final assessment piece where they will edit and improve, before finally publishing. We intend to allow children to share their writing in a variety of ways such as displaying it or sharing it with their peers.
Curriculum Coverage – our texts and genres
In EYFS and Year 1, spelling is taught through our Phonics program, Phonics Bug. Spelling rules taught from Year 2 – 6, using the framework for No Nonsense Spelling. Children are taught spelling rules from the National Curriculum for their year group, plus the common exception/statutory words for their year group(s).
Long Term Plan Y2-6: Spelling Long Term Plan PDF
Home learning for spelling is done using a half-termly spelling mat (in the reading diary and on the class webpage) which gives parents and children a list of words associated with their topic, spelling rules taught and curriculum words for their year group for that half term.
To help children to learn curriculum words, teachers at Charnwood use a variety of methods to suit different learning styles. Many come from the ‘Making Spellings Memorable’ document.
