Writing
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Writing is in 5 categories:
- to entertain (KS1 & KS2)
- to inform (KS1 & KS2)
- to persuade (KS2)
- to discuss (KS2)
- poetry (KS1 & KS2)
At Holmes Chapel Primary School, our children learn to write fluently in a range of different genres and communicate their ideas clearly. Our writing cycle develops through each year group building on skills: from considering purpose, audience and text type to scaffolding, teacher modelling and independent writing including skills such as proof reading and editing.
Enjoy, Explore, Practice & Apply
Enjoy – With our reader hats on – look at stimulus, how does it make you feel using reading comprehension strategies?
Explore – Reading and exploring language and vocabulary structures. What magic has the author used?
Practice – Modelled writing
Apply – Independent writing
- Stimulus include high quality texts and real events (Enjoy)
- Technical grammar and punctuation is taught in discrete lessons as well as in context (Explore)
- Rich writing opportunities so that the children can be creative inspired and love writing (Practice & Apply)
Spelling
We teach the children to make links between sounds and letters (phonics), understand the word structure (morphology) and the spelling structure (orthography) of words.
Reception and Year 1: Early spelling is taught through segmenting to spell in phonics lessons. The reading and spelling of tricky words in taught in daily phonics lessons.
Year 2: Little Wandle Bridge to Spelling programme (3-5 x per week)
Years 3 – 6: Spelling Shed scheme (3-5 x per week)
Handwriting
Reception:
Handwriting begins with the development of gross motor skills and the exploration of pre-writing shapes through a range of practical, hands-on activities, not just pencil-and-paper tasks. Fine motor skills are developed through continuous provision, including activities such as playdough, threading, cutting, peg boards and construction. Formal teaching of pre-writing patterns and letter formation is introduced through the Letter-join scheme alongside the Little Wandle phonics programme.
Key Stage 1:
Children are taught the correct formation of lower-case and capital letters, as well as numbers 0-9, following the Letter-join scheme. Letters are grouped into families, with teaching focusing on correct starting points, directionality and letter strokes.
Key Stage 2:
Handwriting is taught three times per week and focuses on developing joined handwriting, legibility, consistency and presentation. Children refine their handwriting style, increasing both fluency and speed while maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality.