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Writing

Keyham Barton’s English (writing) Curriculum Statement


Intent

At Keyham Barton, we believe that writing is an integral part of the whole curriculum. Our transcription (grammar, spelling, phonics, handwriting) and composition map is based on the National Curriculum programmes of study and lessons take place every day. Teachers use the National Curriculum and Keyham Barton’s long term progression grids to base medium and short term planning on; in turn, this links grammar and punctuation to writing genres across the year. The ‘Talk for Writing ‘ approach, and the discrete teaching of grammar, spelling and phonics, ensures that the lessons build towards a piece of writing that evidences the acquired knowledge, skills and understanding of the children. Working walls are used as a tool for effective implementation in the classroom. 

 

Implement 

Our English curriculum revolves around Pie Corbett’s ‘Talk for Writing’ approach, which employs three stages:

Immersion in a text - children learn to recognise the language patterns, structures and features of the text they are reading.

Innovation stage - The children ‘box up’ a grid, which they use to plan a text imitating the text/genre taught. Shared writing is then followed by the children writing a version of the text/genre innovating the model themselves. Formative assessment assesses progress and establishes the next teaching.

Independent application - the children gather up information needed and use shared planning to see how they can box up another theme based on the same structure. During the shared writing, there are opportunities for the children to have a go for themselves, concluding with an independent write based on their boxing up. 

Application across the curriculum - The ‘box’ can then be used to structure writing in other curriculum areas. Within English, the theme/genre is revisited after a short break so that a piece of writing can be used as a summative assessment each half term. 

 

ENGLISH NATIONAL CURRICULUM https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335186/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_English_220714.pdf

 

Impact

We measure the effectiveness of English Writing, Grammar and Spelling/Phonics in a variety of ways. We use National and summative testing to assess pupils’ outcomes at the end of KS1 and KS2 (SATs for Y6 Pupils) and through termly summative assessments across the whole school, which enables pupils’ progress and attainment to be evaluated. Additionally, pupils complete writing assessments on a half-termly basis (these are marked and moderated externally once a year through the ‘No More Marking’ programme) to inform teachers of a pupil’s next steps and celebrate successes.

Through lesson and book monitoring, it is evident that pupils are being well-supported to acquire the necessary skills and subject knowledge in order to become established and confident writers. Lesson observations and planning demonstrate that learning is broken down into smaller steps and modelling supports pupils in the writing process - ensuring that the subject is being regularly reviewed so that learning is being embedded into the pupil’s long term memory. Pupil voice indicates that children are enjoying their learning and can talk about their work in a confident and articulate way.