Writing – Intent

At our school, we believe that every child should become a confident and creative writer. All pupils are taught the importance of purpose and audience while developing their composition and transcription skills. This empowers students to think like writers and to create engaging narratives that capture their readers’ interest.

To support this vision, we use Literacy Tree, a complete, book-based approach to teaching English. Rooted in high-quality and diverse children's literature, Literacy Tree places engaging texts at the heart of learning, inspiring children to become enthusiastic readers and purposeful writers. The programme develops reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling and oracy through carefully planned sequences that immerse pupils in rich literary experiences and authentic writing opportunities.

Our curriculum is designed to:

• Teach writing through meaningful purposes and real audiences.
• Expand vocabulary and deepen understanding of language.
• Ensure all children achieve their full potential regardless of starting points.
• Encourage creativity, curiosity, empathy and a deeper understanding of the world through literature.

Writing – Implementation

English is taught through the Literacy Tree curriculum, which uses carefully selected, high-quality texts as the driver for learning. Each unit contains a structured sequence of lessons that develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, spoken language and writing skills.

Children are immersed in texts through discussion, drama, debate and exploratory activities before applying their learning to meaningful writing outcomes. Writing is taught with a clear focus on purpose and audience, helping pupils understand why they are writing and who they are writing for. Grammar and transcription skills are taught within the context of high-quality texts, ensuring that learning is purposeful and connected.

Teachers use assessment to inform planning, provide appropriate challenge and support, and ensure that all learners make progress.

Writing – Impact

The impact of our English curriculum is seen in children who are confident writers and effective communicators. Through their engagement with high-quality literature, pupils develop a rich vocabulary and an appreciation of different authors, genres and cultures.

Children leave our school able to:

• Write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences.
• Apply grammar, punctuation and spelling accurately.
• Discuss, explain and justify their ideas with increasing confidence.
• Demonstrate resilience, creativity and independence as learners.
• Appreciate the value and power of literature in understanding themselves and the world around them.

Progress is evident through pupils' writing, assessment outcomes, lesson observations and pupil voice. Most importantly, children develop a genuine love of writing that prepares them for future learning and success beyond primary school.