Progression in Writing

Our English curriculum is text driven and provides the skills and knowledge that children need to create and refine beautiful pieces of writing! We believe that along with reading, speaking and listening, writing is a key aspect of the curriculum and it makes a significant contribution to the development of children as thinkers and learners. It is one of our core aims that all pupils develop their writing ability and enjoy the process of cultivating this life-long skill. At Gurnard we strive to provide children with exciting, purposeful and inspiring contexts in which to become writers.

Writing at Gurnard helps develop children’s competencies in two key areas - transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing). Carefully planned, regular writing opportunities also allow the children to develop their writing stamina, ensuring all children can write at length. 

Within each unit of work, children are given the opportunity to write extended pieces for a range of real purposes and audiences. Children are taught to understand how these purposes and audiences influence the form the writing should take. They are given opportunities to develop their ability to think aloud, explore and collect ideas, draft and re-read their writing as it forms. Children are also taught the importance of proof-reading, monitoring and editing their own writing to make sure it makes sense and to improve it.

We recognise that these areas are clearly linked to the other aspects of English learning: speaking and listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary and spelling. 

The document below shows the progression of skills in writing.