Building on Meanwood’s vision and values and the National Curriculum for writing, we aim to provide an exceptional writing education that embraces our school vision. The basic skills of writing are vital for the life opportunities for our children.

Open Hearts – We create a cooperative learning environment, encouraging children to work together feel valued and confident to express their views, opinions and ideas and learn collaboratively. 

Open Minds – We inspire our children to strive for excellence in writing, supporting them to develop an understanding and appreciation of various writing styles and considering all viewpoints respectfully. Through writing for a range of audiences thus expressing themselves, we celebrate their achievements and encourage them to reach their full potential. 

Open Arms – We foster empathy in our pupils, encouraging them to understand and appreciate different perspectives and approaches to writing. We promote an inclusive environment where all learners feel valued and supported in their writing journey.

Intent

At Meanwood C of E, we believe that an engaging, diverse and quality writing curriculum should ignite our children’s love of communicating and expressing their ideas in all contexts and as a result, articulating this in a clear and accurate form of writing. We strive to provide meaningful writing opportunities for a range of audiences and purposes which will provide them with the tools to become confident, independent and lifelong writers. The diverse range of writing opportunities enables children to think and write creatively resulting in children developing their own style and voice. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary, spelling and grammar. This will inspire children to be confident in the art of speaking and listening, which will feed into their understanding of written language, equipping them with cultural capital and enabling them to be successful in the wider world. We encourage children to reflect and persevere in all aspects of their school journey and drafting, editing and reviewing their own work plays a central part to this process.   

Implementation

At Meanwood, the children’s knowledge and understanding build cumulatively through the schools writing curriculum by following a carefully sequenced progression map. This map is split into transcription (spelling, handwriting) and composition (planning, drafting, editing, key terminology, sentence structure and punctuation and grammar). Each year group has clearly defined end points that are progressive and build on the previous years learning. The early writing curriculum begins in EYFS and Year 1 alongside the SSP (FFT: Success for All).

Impact

At Meanwood our aim is keep all the children working together at broadly the same place by taking small steps in learning.

Formative Assessment

The children’s progress is assessed using regular formative assessment in lessons through questioning, regular practice, assessment of work in books and feedback. These inform the teacher of any children that need further consolidation and/or intervention, which is received immediately. We address potential gaps in previous essential knowledge/skills that should be secure through previous units of learning through monitoring checks. Class teachers assess those children who have gaps in their learning.  These are addressed at the beginning of lessons. When targeted support is necessary, teachers and TA’s work with pupils to ensure they are working towards the identified writing end points. End points are overlearned and revisited to ensure precision occurs in writing. 

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment in Writing takes place at the end of every term in line with our school’s assessment calendar. In EYFS and Year 1, the half termly Reading Assessment Programme (RAP) is completed. This provides accurate progression data, which is used to inform teachers of the children who have gaps in their learning, this data then generates intervention groups. Using progressive assessment grids, teachers in Year 2 to 6 can accurately assess where a child is currently at on their writing journey. They can use the end points to understand which areas need more focus and which areas are secure. At the end of each unit teachers complete a simple overview assessment record of those pupils working below or above expectations and these are passed onto the next year group’s teacher at the end of the year.

Staff Development

Training needs are identified as a result of whole school monitoring and evaluation, SDP priorities, performance management and through self-analysis. The subject leaders are keen to share best practice and are proactive in disseminating up-to-date initiatives to staff via planned CPD and development time. In addition, all teachers and teaching assistants receive annual phonics training at the beginning of the academic year. If any members of staff join the school then this training is part of the induction process.

Monitoring

The subject leader, SLT and Governors all play a role in the monitoring of writing at Meanwood. Monitoring ensures the teaching of the curriculum is having consistent impact on pupils’ learning, skills and remembering of end points. Regular monitoring via learning walks, book looks and pupil/staff voice feedback ensures the subject is constantly being reviewed and regulated to ensure the best learning opportunities for all. Furthermore, the school collaborates with neighbouring schools to externally moderate.