English - Writing

Being a Writer

Writing

At Charlton, writing skills are developed through a text-based approach. From ‘hooking’ the pupils in at the start of a unit and exploring the text in order to build an understanding of the writer’s craft, pupils develop a deep understanding of the components of writing – evaluating, planning, drafting, revising, editing and then publishing. The writing curriculum plans for diverse stimuli for writing which encourages high levels of engagement. Pupils are a given opportunities to explore the text and secure new writing skills before applying the skills to their own independent writing, ensuring greater understanding and a deeper appreciation of writer choices. Texts are carefully chosen to deepen pupils’ knowledge of the wider curriculum, while ensuring pupils are immersed in our rich and varied literary heritage. Each chosen text acts as an ‘umbrella’ under which the children are taught to write for a clear purpose (writing to entertain; writing to inform; writing to discuss and writing to persuade) and known audience, using a range of fiction and non-fiction writing opportunities.

Our writing curriculum has been developed with fine attention to ensure that as children progress through the school, their skills develop in both an age and stage appropriate way. Each unit of writing develops progressively within a 3-stage writing process.

Children first enter the Stimulate and Generate phase of writing. Here the unit begins with a rich text stimulus and provides opportunities for children to explore spoken language, word level work and develop cultural capital (through visitors, trips, images, props). The aim of this initial phase is to immerse our children in the vocabulary that they will need to use to write effectively.  The next stage of the learning journey is the Capture, Sift and Sort phase. Here children explore the skills needed for the final outcome (planning; exploring genre and form; embedded grammar, punctuation and spelling). In addition, the children complete apprentice writes which provide contextualised opportunities to practise the writing skills that they will use in their final piece. The final stage of the writing process is the Create, Refine and Evaluate phase where teachers continue to teach skills and behaviours of a writer and children create a written outcome for a known audience. This is the phase of writing where children proof-read and edit their work: our learners are challenged and encouraged to take risks and view mistakes as another part of the learning process.  The learning journey finishes with opportunities for children to publish their work ready for celebration and/or presentation.

Writing for a real purpose and audience is what brings our writing curriculum to life. Earlier in the year, our Year 6 children shared their writing with the Home Office and received a letter in response. Please click the link below to view the letter.

The explicit teaching of Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation is essential to the development of children’s speech and writing. Children from Year 1 to 6 learn key grammar and punctuation concepts in the context of writing as part of 'Capture, Sift and Sort' phase of writing. Having a firm understanding of these concepts, allows children to be confident in building and manipulating interesting and varied sentences. Furthermore, they can then discuss and analyse their own language and grammar choices, as well as those of others, using the appropriate terminology.

Writing leads - Mrs Lisa Donnison & Mrs Sam Campbell