How We Teach Writing At Redgate

across REDGATE, we have developed our own APPROACH TO WRITING

At Redgate, we follow a consistent whole-school writing sequence designed to enable all pupils to become confident, fluent and creative writers. Our approach ensures that children are immersed in high-quality models of writing, explicitly taught the skills they need, and given regular opportunities to apply, refine, and evaluate their work. Writing is taught through a carefully structured sequence which builds upon prior learning and promotes independence over time.

Our Writing Sequence

All writing units follow a consistent progression of learning:

1. Immerse – Pupils are introduced to rich, engaging stimuli such as high-quality texts, film clips, or real-life experiences. They explore the purpose, audience and language of model examples to identify key features of the genre.
   
   

2. Capture Ideas – Children generate and collect ideas through discussion, drama, vocabulary building and short-burst writing. This stage focuses on creativity, oral rehearsal and developing understanding of content and structure.
   
   

3. Grammar in Context – Grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary are taught explicitly within the context of the writing unit. These skills are revisited daily through discrete SPaG activities and reinforced in writing lessons.
   
   

4. Model and Shared Writing – Teachers explicitly model how to craft sentences and paragraphs, demonstrating effective authorial choices, sentence structures and cohesive devices. Shared writing supports pupils to co-construct examples and internalise the craft of writing.
   
   

5. Plan – Pupils plan their independent writing using scaffolds appropriate to their age and stage, including story maps, paragraph frames or success criteria.
   
   

6. Write – Pupils independently apply taught skills to produce a complete piece of writing, demonstrating control of structure, grammar and vocabulary for a clear audience and purpose.
   
   

7. Edit and Publish – Children reflect on their writing through self- and peer-editing, making purposeful improvements to vocabulary, sentence structure, and punctuation. Final drafts are presented and celebrated as part of a growing portfolio of writing.
   
   

English Writing Long Term Plan

  National Curriculum Requirements     THE wRITING fRAMEWORK 2025

Spelling

At Redgate, spelling is taught systematically from EYFS to Year 6, building on children’s phonics knowledge and developing their understanding of spelling patterns, rules, word families and vocabulary.

In EYFS and Key Stage 1, spelling is closely linked to our Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised phonics programme. As children move into Year 2, they develop their spelling knowledge through the Little Wandle Spelling programme.

In Key Stage 2, children follow a structured spelling programme which develops knowledge of spelling patterns, prefixes, suffixes, root words, morphology and etymology. Spelling is practised regularly and applied through reading and writing, with opportunities for children to develop accuracy and independence.

Our aim is for children to become confident, accurate and independent spellers who can apply their knowledge effectively in their writing.

Handwriting

At Redgate, we teach handwriting systematically from EYFS to Year 6, developing children’s letter formation, pencil control, joins, fluency and presentation as they progress through school.

Handwriting is taught explicitly and regularly, with children given opportunities to practise and apply their skills across the curriculum. We encourage children to take pride in their presentation and develop a fluent, legible handwriting style that supports them to record their ideas confidently and independently.