From Y1-Y6 we follow the Embark writing sequence:

1. Explore the context of the book which is to be the focus of the writing and introduce the genre and sequence of learning to the children. (Internalisation)
2. Interrogation of the genre to be taught through highlighting, keys, annotation. (This stage can be used throughout the incremental teaching stage 4).  Use this to generate the co-constructed success criteria. (Generation of the toolkit)
3. Explore vocabulary/facts  which will be used within the text, this stage may link with non-core subject lessons. This may also be 'Reading  Comprehension to explore meaning'.
4. Incremental teaching of specific skills and knowledge -genre, grammar and punctuation (identified from the interrogation stage and included in the checklist for the final write.  
5. Planning of the final writing using a framework which promotes the structure of the genre taught.
6. Independent writing from the planning followed by editing and redrafting using feedback from the teacher. Use of self-assessment checklist to support editing and redrafting.
7. Reflection on the writing. What the child would do differently next time. This is not necessarily acted upon.
8. Assessment of the independent piece by the teacher using the EMBARK grid.

More generally, we draw all our writing from the whole class text. We let the text guide us in terms of genre bearing in mind that many genres can be drawn from one text e.g. a diary extract, newspaper report, non-chronological report, instructions.

Children are taught how to write well by looking carefully at good examples (WAGOLLS) and considering how the author has phrased things and chosen words to create specific effects. The teacher will often demonstrate the writing process through shared writing, making her thoughts explicit throughout. Pupils are further scaffolded through working walls, spelling lists, dictionaries and thesauri. They are sometimes individually guided by the teacher and also have time to work with a writing partner to edit and improve their work.

Text types across the year groups

Spellings:

In KS1, spellings are taught as ‘encoding’ through the daily phonics programme. High frequency (common exception) words are taught using single letter names, syllables and segments using look, cover, write, check.

For later Y3-Y6 we are trialling a new phonics based approach to teaching spelling this year. It is taught every day for approx. 20 minutes.

English - Handwriting:

Children in EYFS will:

• practise a correct pencil grip
• be taught the correct start and exit points for each letter, which should not include ‘lead-in’ strokes from the line

Children in Year 1 and Year 2 will:

• practise pencil grip as required
• be taught the correct start and exit points for each letter, including ‘lead-in’ strokes from the line i.e. continuous cursive handwriting
• form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another.

Children in Year 3 and Year 4 will:

• use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left un-joined.

Children in Year 5 and Year 6 will:

• write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed and deciding whether or not to join specific letters.

Sequence of cursive handwriting / joins

Letter families should be taught, as grouped below, which follow a similar pattern.  All letters start on the line – see below for clarification on individual letter formations in the continuous cursive style.

Ladder letters:

l, i, j, t, u, y

Curly letters:

c, a, o, q, d, g, s, e, f 

One-armed robots:

r, m, n, h, b, k, p

Zig-zag letters:

v, w, x, z