Writing Curriculum intent: 

At St George's, we believe that strong foundations in writing are essential for every child's future success. Our writing curriculum is carefully designed to develop confident, capable and enthusiastic writers by prioritising the secure acquisition of transcription skills, including handwriting, spelling and sentence construction, from the earliest years.

We recognise that children cannot write effectively until they have mastered the fundamental building blocks of writing. Therefore, we place a strong emphasis on developing secure foundations through high-quality phonics teaching, rich vocabulary development, and regular opportunities to practise and apply key writing skills. As pupils become increasingly fluent with these core elements, they are able to focus on composing purposeful and engaging pieces of writing for a range of audiences and purposes.

Our curriculum builds progressively from the Early Years through to Key Stage 2, ensuring that knowledge and skills are carefully sequenced and revisited. Through exposure to high-quality texts, explicit teaching of grammar and language structures, and meaningful writing experiences, pupils develop creativity, resilience and pride in their work.

By the time children leave St George's, they will have the confidence, technical accuracy and independence needed to communicate their ideas effectively and enjoy writing as a powerful tool for learning and self-expression.

Curriculum implementation:

At St George's, writing is prioritised across the curriculum through a combination of daily writing opportunities and the explicit teaching of the key skills required to become successful writers. We recognise that pupils need secure foundations before they can write with confidence and independence. Children are provided with regular opportunities to write for a range of purposes and audiences, both within English lessons and across the wider curriculum. Alongside this, pupils receive discrete teaching in spelling, handwriting and grammar to ensure that essential transcription and language skills are taught systematically and practised frequently.

In Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, writing lessons include regular dictation practice to strengthen pupils' understanding of spelling patterns, punctuation and sentence structure, while helping them apply these skills accurately in their independent writing. Lessons also begin with grammar retrieval activities, enabling pupils to revisit and recall previously taught knowledge, helping to secure learning in long-term memory and build fluency in its application.

Through modelling, guided practice and purposeful independent writing opportunities, pupils develop the confidence, stamina and technical accuracy needed to communicate effectively. This approach ensures that all children build strong foundations and make sustained progress as writers throughout their time at St George's.