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Writing

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Intent

At Wistaston Church Lane Academy, we WRITE like AUTHORS!

We see writing as a fundamental life skill and intrinsic to our children’s educational achievement. Therefore, we place a strong emphasis on the teaching and learning of all aspects of the subject including: composition, vocabulary, spelling, handwriting, punctuation and grammar. All children are encouraged to become creative and fluent writers, who are able to communicate their ideas effectively and express their thoughts, feelings and ideas in a range of contexts.

Quality texts are used to inspire children and build a wide and varied knowledge of authors and genres. Pupils use these to shape their own writing, as they learn new skills to help them plan, draft and organise their work in a variety of ways. They are encouraged to become reflective learners, who are able to proofread, edit and improve their own work, and take pride in producing high quality writing.

We believe that children should be given the opportunity to write for a range of purposes, which will enable them to become active members of the wider community, both now and in the future. We aim to instil a love of writing that lasts a lifetime and encourage pupils of all backgrounds and abilities to recognise themselves as successful writers.

 

Implementation

At Wistaston Church Lane Academy, follow a programme of study called Pathways to Write by The Literacy Company. This is supplemented with our own additional units of work. 

We use a text-based approach to the teaching and learning of writing, providing a context for children to base their work around. Each half term, year groups are provided with a high-quality picture book as their focus. They explore the book using a range of activities which develop their understanding of the text as well as their writing skills. 

At the start of a unit, pupils will engage in a warm-up write to assess their previously taught skills. They will then learn a range of punctuation and grammar skills, which they will apply to various written tasks that allow them to master each one in a range of contexts.  Each unit culminates in the children producing an extended piece of writing which will bring together all of the skills they have learnt.  They will then go through a short editing process.

Spelling/Phonics and Handwriting lessons are taught discretely.

 

Impact

At Wistaston Church Lane Academy, units of work for writing are designed to be inspiring and engaging, allowing pupils an opportunity to express themselves in a variety of ways. High quality teaching and learning in the subject means that a good level of progress is evident throughout, and that all needs are catered for.

Pupils will:

  • Develop an appreciation for a range of writing styles and genres.
  • Understand the process of writing and take pride in producing high quality work.
  • Learn skills and concepts that allow them to write with accuracy and meaning, including aspects of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
  • Broaden their vocabulary to express themselves clearly and effectively.
  • Use their imaginations and adopt a range of strategies to write with creativity.
  • Reflect on their own writing and that of others, and revise their work where necessary.
  • Become confident writers, who feel empowered to communicate their ideas successfully for a range of different purposes.

 

Cultural Capital

At Wistaston Church Lane Academy, we recognise that writing is an essential life skill, and as such, we ensure that pupils leave school with the following characteristics for a successful future.

Pupils will:

  • Have an awareness of purpose and audience when undertaking a written task, and have the ability to adapt their writing accordingly.
  • Plan their writing to meet the needs of the reader and their overall aim and purpose.
  • Have the confidence to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas through writing in a range of contexts.
  • Express themselves clearly, accurately, concisely and effectively to evoke a desired response.
  • Use a rich and varied vocabulary.
  • Communicate successfully with others, allowing them to make a positive contribution to their local and global communities.
  • Gain a love and appreciation for the power of the written word and use this to inspire and share with others.