"If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write!" - Sir Winston Churchill
Writing Lead – Mr Steve Coles
Early Writing Lead – Mrs Michelle Nicholls
At Berrycoombe School, we believe writing is a vital form of communication, creativity and self-expression. It’s central to our curriculum because writing with clarity, purpose and imagination unlocks wider learning, builds confidence and ensures every child has a voice.
From Early Years through Year 6, we are committed to nurturing skilled, motivated writers who adapt their writing for varied audiences and purposes. High‑quality texts that that are intrinsically link to the wider curriculum, including Science, remain at the heart of our curriculum, inspiring pupils to recognise and replicate effective writing.
Our approach is rooted in evidence, including the EEF’s guidance 'Improving Literacy in Key Stage 1 and 2' and the new DfE Writing Framework (July 2025), which emphasise:
- Automatic transcriptional fluency: secure handwriting and phonics‑based spelling from Reception, enabling cognitive load to shift toward composition
- Sentence‑level instruction embedded in context: teaching grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and sentence structure within real writing, rather than in isolation
- Oral composition preceding written work: encouraging pupil talk‑for‑writing and sentence rehearsal to scaffold planning and refine ideas
- Focus on quality, not quantity: resisting early pressure for long pieces in Reception and prioritising precise, fluent, meaningful writing
- Early identification and support: providing timely interventions for pupils struggling with transcription or composition skills
It is our intention, that by the end of their primary school journey at Berrycoombe School, our pupils will:
- Write fluently and confidently for diverse audiences and purposes.
- Organise and structure ideas effectively, using accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
- View themselves as authors with valuable contributions.
- Possess the resilience, motivation and metacognitive tools to continue as independent writers, beyond the classroom.
Implementation
Link to the National Curriculum for Writing ---> English National Curriculum
At Berrycoombe School, our writing curriculum is designed to develop confident, fluent and creative writers from the earliest stages of education through to Year 6. Our implementation is underpinned by evidence-based strategies, including the EEF’s guidance on 'Improving Literacy' and the DfE Writing Framework (2025). It is structured, progressive and inclusive, ensuring pupils build secure foundations in transcription and composition while developing metacognitive awareness and independence.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
The EYFS is a critical foundation stage for writing. Our focus is on:
- Gross and fine motor development to support handwriting fluency.
- Automatic transcriptional skills through:
- Structured handwriting activities.
- Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics and writing.
- Continuous provision writing opportunities.
- Oral composition and caption and phrase rehearsal before writing.
- Drawing Club to integrate storytelling, vocabulary, and mark-making in an engaging, creative context.
Key Stage 1
Writing instruction in KS1 builds on EYFS foundations through:
- Daily RWI Get Writing lessons for transcription and sentence-level work.
- Daily English Sessions that include a heavy emphasis on foundational, transcription skills (handwriting, spelling and grammar) with composition via narrative and own experiences
- Weekly Spelling and Handwriting Sessions following the Spelling Shed Programme and Excellence in Handwriting Programme
- Grammar and Punctuation are taught within our Writing units and are embedded in writing. Additionally, they are practice daily in the context of an assessment question.
Here is what an English lesson looks like in Key Stage 1:
Key Stage 2
KS2 consolidates and extends writing skills through:
- Writing Units linked to wider curriculum topics, including Science, for purposeful writing.
- Daily English Sessions that include daily practice of foundational, transcription skills (handwriting, spelling and grammar) with composition via narrative and non-fiction text.
- Weekly Spelling and Handwriting Sessions following the Spelling Shed Programme and Excellence in Handwriting Programme.
- Grammar and Punctuation are taught within our Writing units and are embedded in writing. Additionally, they are practice daily in the context of an assessment question.
- 1:1 Conferencing and Writing Targets – each pupil is given an individualised writing target informed from assessment of their published writing to support rapid progress in Writing.
Pupils learn to write for a range of purposes and audiences, using increasingly sophisticated grammar, vocabulary, and cohesive structures. Editing and redrafting are integral to the writing process.
Here is what an English lesson looks like in Lower Key Stage 2:
Here is what an English lesson looks like in Upper Key Stage 2:
