INTENT:

At Hagbourne,  we believe that all pupils should be able to confidently communicate their knowledge, ideas and emotions through their writing. We want pupils to acquire a wide vocabulary, a solid understanding of grammar and be able to spell new words by effectively applying the spelling patterns and rules they learn throughout their time in primary school. We want them to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. We believe that all pupils should be encouraged to take pride in the presentation of their writing, in part by developing a good, joined, handwriting style by the time they move to secondary school. We believe that all good writers refine and edit their writing over time, so we want children to develop independence in being able to identify their own areas for improvement in all pieces of writing, editing their work effectively during and after the writing process. We do not put ceilings on what pupils can achieve in writing and we do not hold pre-conceptions about any pupils’ ability to make progress. 

IMPLEMENTATION:

Classroom organisation:

We teach English as whole class lessons, so that all children have access to the age-related skills and knowledge contained in the National Curriculum. Within lessons, teachers and teaching assistants target support for slower graspers to enable them to achieve at an age-related level wherever possible. This may involve a greater level of scaffolding and access to additional support materials such as Word Banks or a greater level of modelling. Rapid graspers are given opportunities to extend their writing in a variety of ways, including through showing greater control in their writing, a deeper understanding of the impact that their writing has on the reader and by using a higher level of vocabulary and grammar features.

SPAG: 

Spellings are taught according to the rules and words contained in Appendix 1 of the English National Curriculum. KS2 teachers use ‘No Nonsense Spelling’ and 'Spelling Shed' to support their teaching and to provide activities that link to the weekly spellings. Children are given spellings to learn each week and are given a spelling test the following week. When marking work, teachers identify up to five words that children have spelt incorrectly from within that child’s known ability. Children are then encouraged to identify these incorrect spellings in their own writing and correct them. Grammar and punctuation knowledge and skills are taught through English lessons as much as possible. Teachers plan to teach the required skills through the genres of writing that they are teaching, linking it to the genre to make it more connected with the intended writing outcome. Teachers sometimes focus on particular grammar and punctuation skills as stand alone lessons, if they feel that the class need additional lessons to embed and develop their understanding or to consolidate skills.

English Lesson Sequence:

Each year group has a yearly overview of the writing genres, both narrative and non-fiction, that they will teach

These have been planned to ensure correct coverage of the key genres as well as build on skills from year to

year. Units will take between two and three weeks to complete, and the outcome of each unit will be used to assess the pupil’s skills against the agreed success criteria. Every narrative unit is linked to a carefully chosen text or extract of a text that acts as a stimulus for teaching the identified text, word and sentence level

features that children will be expected to include in their extended writing outcome for that unit.

Within lessons, children are supported through a variety of scaffolds such as: word banks, modelling, sentence starters and our marking code allows for children to independently edit over time. Teachers and teaching assistants target support for those that need it to ensure they are achieving the best they can be. Writing can be extended through greater control and using a higher level of vocabulary and grammar features. 

IMPACT:

• Pupils will enjoy writing across a range of genres  
• Pupils of all abilities will be able to succeed in all English lessons because work will be appropriately scaffolded  Pupils will have a wide vocabulary that they use within their writing  
• Pupils will have a good knowledge of how to adapt their writing based on the context and audience 
•  Pupils will leave primary school being able to effectively apply spelling rules and patterns they have been taught  Parents and carers will have a good understanding of how they can support spelling, grammar and composition and home, and contribute regularly to homework  
• The % of pupils working at ARE within each year group will be at least in line with national averages.  
• The % of pupils working at Greater Depth within each year group will be at least in line with national averages  The will be no significant gaps in the progress of different groups of pupils (e.g. disadvantaged)