Writing

At Cranmore Infant School our approach to writing is grounded in rich talk, high‑quality texts, and purposeful experiences. Children are immersed in language through stories, role‑play, drama, and meaningful discussion, enabling them to develop the vocabulary, ideas, and confidence needed to write with increasing independence. We teach transcriptional skills—handwriting, spelling, and sentence construction—systematically and explicitly, ensuring every child secures the foundations needed to flourish. Alongside this, we prioritise composition: helping children to generate ideas, make choices as writers, and understand how writing can inform, entertain, and influence others.

We recognise that children develop at different rates, and we are committed to inclusive practice. Our teaching is responsive, adaptive, and carefully scaffolded so that all pupils, including those with SEND or emerging language needs, can participate fully and experience success. Above all, we aim to cultivate joy in writing. Through purposeful tasks, real audiences, and opportunities to celebrate their achievements, children learn that their words matter. By the end of Key Stage 1, our pupils leave us as confident, capable writers who are ready for the next stage of their learning. Our curriculum follows the National Curriculum for writing.

What We Teach

In EYFS, we focus on the early foundations of writing. Children learn to enjoy mark‑making, develop strong fine‑motor skills, build early phonological awareness, and use talk and play to develop the language they need for writing. They begin to recognise and form letters, including their name, and explore purposeful writing in role‑play and everyday activities.

In KS1, we teach children to write with increasing confidence and independence. This includes phonics for spelling, accurate letter formation, and building secure sentence skills. Children learn to plan, compose, and improve their writing, using rich vocabulary and writing for a range of purposes such as stories, recounts, instructions, and simple information texts. Teaching is adapted so every child can succeed.

We ensure progression in knowledge and skills across year groups, building a strong foundation for future learning.

How We Teach

Writing in the EYFS and KS1 is taught through a balance of rich language experiences, explicit teaching, and purposeful opportunities to write. In the Early Years, children explore mark‑making, develop fine‑motor skills, build early phonics knowledge, and learn that writing communicates meaning. As they move into KS1, teaching becomes more structured. Daily phonics, modelling, shared writing, and guided practice enable children to spell, form letters, and construct sentences. Across all stages, talk, high‑quality texts, and inclusive scaffolding support children to develop confidence, creativity, and independence as young writers.

What Children Learn and How We Assess

Through writing in the EYFS and KS1, children learn to communicate their ideas, develop early phonics and handwriting skills, and build the confidence to express themselves with increasing independence. They explore mark‑making, learn to form letters, spell using phonics, and construct simple sentences. As they move through KS1, pupils learn to plan, compose, and improve their writing for different purposes, developing rich vocabulary and a growing sense of themselves as authors.

Assessment includes:

• Observation and questioning during lessons, addressing prior knowledge
• End-of-unit writing tasks and knowledge checks
• Pupil voice and work scrutiny to monitor progression

At Cranmore, we use ongoing assessment for learning to identify pupils’ strengths and next steps in writing. Teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding through observation, discussion, marking, and short independent writing tasks. Assessment informs immediate feedback, adaptive teaching, and targeted support for individuals and groups. We track progress across the strands of composition, transcription, and grammar to ensure every child makes strong and consistent progress from their starting points. Assessment is used diagnostically to close gaps early and to ensure pupils remain on track for end‑of‑key‑stage expectations.  This ensures pupils are secure in their knowledge and prepared for future learning.

Our writing curriculum ensures pupils leave Key Stage 1 equipped with the essential knowledge, fluency, and independence needed for the increased demands of Key Stage 2. By the end of Year 2, pupils can apply secure phonics knowledge, form sentences with accuracy, choose vocabulary intentionally, and edit their work with growing independence. They have a strong understanding of sentence structure, punctuation, and transcriptional accuracy, enabling them to transition confidently into the wider range of genres, extended composition, and deeper grammatical expectations of Key Stage 2.

 KEY CURRICULUM INFORMATION

National Curriculum for English - CLICK HERE