Writing

At Gladstone, we advocate that everyone has the opportunity to be budding writers. Our writing sessions are based around carefully selected texts, which enrich the children’s vocabulary and enhances their knowledge on the current topic they are studying. We use differentiated texts, to enable all pupils to be exposed to original texts that are both challenging and engaging, whilst also being scaffolded with adapted texts, so children can all achieve and access the curriculum with independence and confidence.

Here are some of the texts used across school:

Writing Cycle

For every writing sequence, classes follow a cycle to ensure pupils develop a deep understanding of the writing genre they are writing in. We provide children with opportunities to write for meaningful purposes. Here are the stages of the cycle:

1. Introduction of the model text.
2. Experience the text – drama-based activities and the manipulating of the model text ensures pupils have a secure understanding of the style of writing.
3. SPaG focus – key SPaG elements which lend to the piece of writing and hit the year groups expectations are taught as a stand-alone session.
4. Focus on the teaching of key features of the writing genre.
5. Planning stage.
6. Drafting Stage.
7. Editing Stage*
8. Publishing Stage.

*Editing is a crucial part of the cycle, and it is instilled into pupils that it is an opportunity to improve their work, either through correction or through up-levelling their sentences. Purple Fix It Time is an initiative used across the school so children can demonstrate clearly the alterations and improvements they make. An editing wheel is used across school, to support children in focusing their editing. Dictionaries, thesauruses and iPads are available for children to use to support their editing practise. Children also write by ‘writing a line, miss a line’. This layout provided children with the adequate space to edit and improve.

Spelling

At Gladstone, spelling has a high profile and is taught in discrete sessions on a weekly basis. In EYFS and Key Stage One, spelling is embedded and taught within the Twinkl Phonics Scheme. In Key Stage Two, staff follow the Spelling Shed Scheme. There is a timetabled weekly slot, where spellings are assessed and the new spelling rules are introduced. Spelling homework is set weekly, both as written practise, and all pupils have access to online games to make practise engaging.

Within the wider curriculum, children have access to individualised dictionaries, which the children take ownership of and is a tool to support the development of their spelling. Children are encouraged to attempt the spelling first, applying their prior knowledge, and then staff can intervene and support if appropriate. There is an adapted format for younger pupils and SEN pupils, which has Twinkl phonemes and mnemonics to support an individuals’ independence.

Mr Punc.

Mr Punc. is a staple in school. Can you find him in the classroom? He is an initiative brought in to support children’s retrieval of punctuation. He appears in most English lessons and is used as a reminder of key punctuation to grammatically punctuate sentences accurately.

Handwriting

We follow the Nelson Handwriting Scheme, as presentation is important. Weekly half-an-hour discrete handwriting sessions are planned into all year groups timetables. Children are driven to work on their presentation, as they aim to achieve a ‘Pen Licence’. This is awarded by Mrs Annese and Mrs Brindley. Children strive to achieve this and comment on their pride and sense of achievement when it happens.