A nurturing environment, inspiring achievement

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:

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    ● Has the ability to write with fluency and develops their author’s voice

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    ● Can think about the impact they want their writing to have on the reader        and know how they will achieve this

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    ● Has a sophisticated bank of vocabulary and an excellent knowledge of          writing techniques to extend details or description

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    ● Can structure and organise their writing to suit the genre they are writing        and include a variety of sentence structures

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    ● Displays excellent transcription skills that ensure their writing is well                 presented, punctuated, spelled correctly and neat

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    ● 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. 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. A week 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. As a school we have adopted the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach, which places the learner, through formative assessment, at the heart of the planning, teaching and learning process.

 

The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum is followed (using Development Matters as support) 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 continuous provision.

 

In English lessons across both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, teachers plan a sequence of lessons that explore ‘Talk for Writing’ 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 and a cursive handwriting style is encouraged from the end of Year 2-Year 6. Handwriting lines (in books) are used in across both KS1 and KS2 and children continue using these books until they develop a fluent cursive handwriting style. 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:

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    ● 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?

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    ● 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.

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    ● In situ writing assessments will be set and completed half-termly (for a            prior genre) to support teachers’ in setting appropriate individual targets,

      to inform future planning and to complete data drops and moderation            exercises. 

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    ● Class teachers record children’s 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.

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    ● The pupils at Conifers Primary School take summative assessments at the          end of Key Stage 2, in line with statutory requirements. Year 1 and 2                children take part in a Phonics Screening Check.

      Year 6 complete SATs in Reading, Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling              (GPS), and Maths (as well as their writing and Science progress being              assessed by their teachers, from ongoing work) as part of their end of key        stage attainment.

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    ● Moderation of teacher assessments is completed with writing moderations        carried out with other local schools (The Chesil Collaboration) 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.