Our Approach to Writing

• At Buckfastleigh, we use a 'Talk for Writing' approach for the teaching of writing. Teaching is based around a specific high-quality text and is sometimes but not always linked to the children's wider learning. The stages of the sequence are 'Imitate, Innovate and Invent'. In school, children know this as 'Let's Learn', 'Let's Practise' and 'Let's Apply'.
• Children are given opportunities to write across a broad range of subjects and with a clear purpose and audience.
• Grammar is usually taught in the context of a writing sequence, thus linking to a text, although it is sometimes necessary to teach grammar separately. Time is given to children to read, edit and improve their writing as part of the writing process. The key skills of proofreading, editing and redrafting based on teacher assessment, peer assessment or self-assessment are explicitly taught.
• Every class has a 'Working Wall' to detail the key aspects of learning from the text the children will then use in their independent writing.
• Each week we celebrate writing in our celebration assembly where one child from each year group is nominated for a piece of outstanding writing. One of the pieces is chosen as the winner and that child receives a certificate.

Spelling

• KS1 – Teaching of spelling is linked to daily phonics and common exception words. Read Write Inc Spelling begins towards the end of Year 2.
• KS2 - Children are taught using Read Write Inc Spelling.

Handwriting

• We follow the 'Letter Join' Handwriting scheme from Foundation through to Year 6.
• In Reception, children learn to form the letters of the alphabet correctly.
• In Year 1, children begin to learn pre-cursive handwriting.
• When children have mastered pre-cursive handwriting in Year 2, they move onto cursive handwriting.
• We expect children in Year 3 to begin to use a handwriting pen.
• Children have time to publish their learning and are expected to take pride in their presentation in their books.