At Conifers Primary School we believe that children should be inspired to write and become confident and enthusiastic writers themselves. Through engaging and meaningful writing contexts our aim is that each child:
● Has the ability to write with fluency and develops their author’s voice
● Can think about the impact they want their writing to have on the reader and know how they will achieve this
● Has a sophisticated bank of vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of writing techniques to extend details or description.
● Can structure and organise their writing to suit the genre they are writing and include a variety of sentence structures.
● Displays excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is well presented, punctuated, spelled correctly and neat.
● Rereads, edits and improves their writing so every piece of writing they produce is to the best of their ability and better than the last. 

At Conifers, we follow the National Curriculum. Where possible, our planning is linked to year group, half termly topics so that writing is purposeful and meaningful. Year group topics are available on our website as a long term curriculum map (Topic Bubble). Opportunities for cross curricular writing are identified and planned for, as a way of consolidating and applying writing skills across different text types and subjects. Stimuli and resources for teaching writing are carefully chosen and readily available for all to access. Planning ensures progression of skills and understanding in transcription and composition. Prior to teaching a new genre, children complete a ‘Cold Task’ which is used as a form of assessment to inform planning. Upon completion of genres, children complete a ‘Hot Task’ to identify progress and again, to inform future planning to ensure that all lessons are pitched correctly to provide support and challenge.

At Conifers, we provide daily English lessons that are progressive and support skill development. As part of our enriched curriculum, English opportunities are planned through a variety of ways. The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum is followed to ensure continuity and progression in the Reception Classes and then through to the National Curriculum in KS1 & KS2. The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum is divided into five specific areas of learning and development (English);

● Speaking
● Listening, Attention and Understanding
● Comprehension
● Word Reading
● Writing

Children learn through play, speaking and listening activities, teacher modelling, group work and self-direction.

In English lessons across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, teachers plan a sequence of lessons that explore quality texts and give pupils the opportunity to practice writing and reading skills. Teachers model and teach writing skills while incorporating spelling, grammar and punctuation elements on a regular basis.

Handwriting lessons are taught regularly to the children and a cursive handwriting style is encouraged from the end of Year 2-Year 6. Children are expected to take pride in their learning and present their writing neatly. A Presentation Promise is agreed, found in all children’s English books and signed by every pupil in school at the beginning of the school year. This clearly shows the children how to lay out their learning and the required expectations for all English lessons.

The impact of the writing curriculum will show:

● Childrens’ understanding of the importance of written words and the impact it can have on imagination and knowledge.
● Children having high expectations of themselves and they will take pride in the effect their writing has on the reader and progress they make when editing and improving their writing.
● They are able to use and understand the English language and value the range and effect of carefully chosen vocabulary and phrases.

How will we measure the impact?

● As well as using cold/hot tasks, assessments for learning strategies are used on a daily basis. These allow a picture to be built up of pupils’ progress and any areas of strength or weakness which can then be addressed in teachers’ planning. Regular marking and feedback is given to pupils (see the schools’ Marking Policy) and helps them to understand how to be successful, what they have achieved and what they need to do to improve further.
● Class teachers record childrens’ individual data on DC Pro where it can be viewed by the Leadership team and show pupils that are ‘on track’ and pupils who may ‘drop off’. A discussion around data is held termly with class teachers, members of the Senior Leadership Team and the school’s Assessment Lead whereby actions are made to offer more support or challenge if required.
● The pupils at Conifers Primary School take summative assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, in line with statutory requirements. Year 1 and 2 children take part in a Phonics Screening Check. Year 2 complete SATs in Reading and Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) which supports the teachers’ overall assessment of their end of key stage attainment. Year 6 children also complete SATs in GPS and Reading (as well as their writing attainment being assessed by their teachers, from ongoing work.)
● Moderation of teacher assessments is completed with writing moderations carried out with other local schools and internally in order to ensure that judgements are accurate. We work closely with local schools so that new initiatives and ideas are shared and the best, most relevant practice is in place. The Leadership Team and English Lead identifies developmental needs relating to English through monitoring and discussion. Training needs for English are incorporated into the School Development Plan. These may be addressed by outside consultants or through in-house workshops during staff meetings or through attending courses.