At Stonehill, it is our intention to ensure that by the end of their primary education, all pupils are able to read fluently and with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education.

At Stonehill, 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. 

Our intention is for 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.

English is essential to everyday life and our aim is to ensure children:

• Read easily, fluently with a good understanding;
• Develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information;
• Acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading;
• Appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage;
• Write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• Use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas;
• Are compliant in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

 

At Stonehill School we have developed a curriculum which ensures children spend longer being taught the common features and skills in writing in order to have a more coherent English curriculum and therefore be able to develop mastery in English.

 

We intend to do this by:

 

• Ensuring our children have access to a high quality English curriculum that is both challenging and enjoyable.
• Providing our children with a variety of writing opportunities, which will enable them to make the connections in learning needed to enjoy greater depth in learning.
• Ensuring children are confident in writing and are not afraid to take risks.
• Fully developing independent learners with inquisitive minds who have secure English foundations and an interest in self-improvement
• Developing fluent readers and writers.

Implementation

Planning

 

1. Long term:

Long term plan has been developed using the writing units that have been released by Herts for Learning, ensuring the units are taught in the correct order.

1. Medium term planning:

The Herts for Learning Long term planning is split into units. Each unit clearly states the key NC statement outcome and any other related statements. It also outlines the key concepts of that unit.

1. Short term planning:

Each unit of work is separated into individual lessons for teachers to adapt and teach.  

Teachers mark the learning of the children. In writing, the teachers highlight where the learning intention has been met in green. They then use blue dots in the margin to show that there is something that needs editing for the children to complete independently. At least twice a week, children will also have grammar cards linked to their curriculum level to complete in their books.

A detailed Skills Progression documents highlight the skills that are taught in each year group and is linked to the planning.

Each classroom has an English working wall that shows current learning. Staff should refer children to this so that they are familiar and use it regularly as a prompt to learning. This can be also used to help develop independency.  

Handwriting

Handwriting is a basic skill that influences the quality of work throughout the curriculum. By the end of Key Stage 2 all pupils should have the ability to produce fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy joined-up handwriting, and to understand the different forms of handwriting used for different purposes.

Our intention is to make handwriting an automatic process that does not interfere with creative and mental thinking.

We use Letterjoin to teach handwriting through regular sessions with the following aims. 

• To develop a neat, legible, speedy handwriting style using continuous cursive letters, which leads to producing letters and words automatically in independent writing.
• To establish and maintain high expectations for the presentation of written work.
• For pupils to understand, by the end of Year 6, the importance of neat presentation and the need for different letterforms (cursive, printed or capital letters) to help communicate meaning clearly.

Spelling

At Stonehill from Year 2 upwards we use Read Write Inc Spelling. 

Read Write Inc Spelling is a comprehensive spelling programme designed to enhance children's literacy skills through a structured and systematic approach. Tailored for primary school pupils, it aims to equip students with the essential phonetic knowledge and spelling strategies necessary for their academic success.

At the heart of Read Write Inc Spelling is a synthetic phonics approach, which encourages students to learn the relationships between sounds and letters. This method begins with the introduction of phonemes, allowing children to recognise the sounds within words. As they progress, pupils are taught to blend these sounds in order to spell and decode words effectively. The programme emphasises regular practice and repetition, enabling children to develop a strong foundation in spelling that they can build upon throughout their educational journey.

The teaching of Read Write Inc Spelling is designed to be interactive and engaging, incorporating a range of activities to cater to varied learning styles. Lessons are structured to include whole-class instruction, paired work, and independent practice, ensuring that each child's individual needs are met. Teachers employ a variety of resources including visual aids, games, and digital tools to enhance the learning experience, making spelling enjoyable and relevant. Regular monitoring and assessment play a crucial role in this process, allowing educators to track progress and tailor support accordingly.

The curriculum of Read Write Inc Spelling covers a sequential progression of skills, beginning with simple sounds and progressing to more complex spelling rules. Students learn to identify common spelling patterns, suffixes, and prefixes, and they become adept at applying these rules in their writing. The programme fosters vocabulary development alongside spelling, encouraging pupils to explore word meanings and usage. This holistic approach to literacy not only improves spelling accuracy but also enhances overall writing confidence and fluency.

Assessment

1. Summative assessment:

Herts for Learning, Easy Tracking is used and reported termly and used to track pupils progress over the year. This data is used as part of the Pupil Progress meetings and to set children’s targets. (TAFs in Year 2 and Year 6 are also used to assess children formally.)

Stonehill Writing Assessment frameworks are in the front of each English book for teachers to highlight regularly, at least half termly.

2. Formative assessments:

Techers and learning support assistants are continually assessing children’s learning. This information can be: used as immediate feedback during the lesson, given as part of the marking and feedback given in books, used to inform future lessons or additional support.  

Moderation:

To ensure assessments are accurate, the subject leader and teachers take part in in-school and local moderation clusters. (Y2 and Y6 may also be moderated in line with the KS1 and KS2 TAFs)

 

 

Impact

 

What impact has the above had on:

• Phonics screening?
• Reading Assessments?
• The ability to use skills across the curriculum?
• Children’s enthusiasm and resilience in their learning?
• Are they ready for the next stage of their education?

 

 

A English concept or skill has been mastered when a child can show detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum and, as a result, achieve well.

 

These will be assessed through: assessment, marking and feedback, tracking, pupil progress meetings, performance management, moderation and standardization and pupil voice.