English - Writing

Our Writing curriculum aims to provide a high-quality education that develops pupils’ ability to write clearly, accurately, and confidently across a range of purposes and audiences. We prioritise engagement by encouraging pupils to see writing as a powerful tool for sharing ideas, expressing creativity, and participating fully in society. Committed to equity, our curriculum ensures that all pupils, regardless of their backgrounds or starting points, receive the support and opportunities they need to develop strong transcription skills, rich vocabulary, and a deep understanding of grammar and language conventions. Through purposeful planning, revising, and reflection, pupils will be equipped to communicate effectively and adapt their writing for diverse contexts, preparing them for success within school and beyond.

Writing Subject on a Page

Securing Writing Foundations

Drawing Club is an initiative that integrates drawing activities into the learning curriculum, particularly aimed at young children in Early Years and Key Stage 1 (KS1). It leverages the natural inclination of children to express themselves through art, using this as a bridge to develop their writing skills.

At Oakfield, Scribble Club (Nursery) and Drawing Club (EYFS/KS1) heavily supports our children to develop as confident, early writers.

Letter-Join is a comprehensive handwriting programme widely used in primary schools to teach pupils how to write cursive (joined-up) handwriting fluently and legibly. It supports the development of fine motor skills, letter formation, and consistent handwriting style, which are essential for effective written communication.

The programme introduces letter formation in a clear sequence, linked closely to phonics teaching, so pupils practise writing graphemes as they learn them.

Spelling Shed is a popular, research-based online platform and app by EdShed, designed to make learning spelling fun for primary school children (Years 1-6) through interactive games, tailored word lists, and curriculum-aligned lessons, focusing on phonics, morphology (word structure), and etymology (word origins) to build spelling confidence and vocabulary, usable in class or at home.

The programme offers systematic progression through spelling rules, patterns, and high-frequency words through engaging lessons and high-quality activities.

Pathways to Write (Y1-Y6)

We plan learning in a thematic approach using our English curriculum texts as a driver following a mastery approach through the programme ‘Pathways to Write.’ Units of work are delivered using high quality texts and children in all year groups are given varied opportunities for writing. Skills are built up through repetition within the units, and children apply these skills in the writing activities provided.  Many opportunities for widening children’s vocabulary are given through the Pathways to Write approach and this builds on the extensive work we do in school to provide our children with a rich and varied vocabulary.  

Our curriculum is planned and sequenced so that the understanding of key concepts is deepened. Connections will continue to be made around the book so that children understand how their learning is linked within and across subjects. All children should be able to access the curriculum and experience success in doing so.

Lessons will focus on developing the long-term learning of children, not just the here-and-now. With that in mind, retrieval practice will now begin to feature throughout the curriculum so that children are encouraged and supported in remembering what they have been taught so that teachers are confident in saying that children have learnt something well. This will be supported by low stakes assessments that we ask the children to take part in. 

Whole School Overview