Writing

Intent

At Oxhey Wood Primary School, our intent is to deliver a highly ambitious writing curriculum that ensures every child becomes a confident, skilled and enthusiastic writer. We recognise that writing is a complex skill that places significant demands on children’s working memory. Therefore teaching writing skills explicitly in a sequenced way helps to support these demands.  Through alignment with the new Writing Framework and the use of HFL and Literacy shed planning materials, we provide carefully sequenced learning that progressively builds knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and composition. We immerse pupils in high‑quality, diverse texts—fiction, non‑fiction, poetry, and media—so they encounter a rich range of voices, cultures, and language patterns that shape their understanding of what effective writing looks and sounds like. Carefully selected texts provide engaging visual hooks that stimulate imagination and deepen understanding of narrative structures. By prioritising oracy, modelled writing, explicit grammar instruction, and opportunities for creative expression, we aim to develop a love for writing in our pupils. Our ambition is for pupils to write with purpose, clarity, fluency and a genuine sense of authorship.

Implementation                                                                          

Our writing curriculum is implemented through a structured, research‑informed approach that uses HFL and Literacy shed planning alongside high‑quality texts. Each unit begins with rich immersion in diverse texts to build background knowledge and vocabulary.

• Teachers follow a consistent sequence: oracy and model text exploration; explicit teaching of grammar and transcription skills; modelled and shared writing; guided practice; independent application; and structured opportunities for editing and redrafting.
• Transcription skills are mastered early: handwriting and spelling is prioritised early in order to develop automaticity. This helps to avoid cognitive overload and allows children to focus on composition.
• Early writing skills: writing from the start of the reception year to build firm foundations that support writing throughout primary school
• Progression in grammar: grammar is always taught in context, aligned with the expectations of the new Writing Framework.
• Rich vocabulary: working walls display shared vocabulary gathered through discussion and oral rehearsal encouraging ambitious word choices in independent writing.
• Sentence level work : explicit sentence-level practice in English lessons and scaffolding strategies ensure pupils are supported while also developing independence.
• Editing skills : the vital skills of editing and redrafting are taught explicitly so children understand the complete process of writing from the planning stage to the editing, redrafting and publishing of their work.
• Daily formative assessment: live feedback and adaptive teaching supports progress for all children.
• SEND support is embedded through small‑step modelling, chunked writing tasks, and targeted scaffolds.
• Writing across the curriculum: engaging tasks and high expectations encourage high quality writing across the curriculum
• Celebration: writing is celebrated in weekly newsletters, displayed, and shared across the school to support motivation and pride in their writing.

Impact

The impact of our writing curriculum is reflected in pupils who write with accuracy, creativity, and confidence across a wide range of genres and purposes. Positive connections with high‑quality texts enables them to apply increasingly sophisticated vocabulary and stylistic features with growing control. Assessment, independent writing, and pupil voice show progress in sentence structure, grammar, composition, and stamina. Pupils use the editing process with increasing independence, demonstrating their understanding of the knowledge and skills set out in the new Writing Framework. Outcomes in books show clear progression across year groups, with pupils able to discuss authorial choices and reflect on how writers influence their readers. By the time they leave our school, pupils are confident, articulate communicators who are well prepared for the demands of KS3 English and the wider world.