Writing

At Golden Valley, we use a Talk for Writing approach to teach writing, alongside the progressive teaching of specific skills in spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting.

Learning is underpinned with opportunities to talk and shape ideas, internalise stories and examine the features of model texts. Bespoke texts are written or adapted from key texts or extracts and the children are encouraged to draw on their own reading as well as the rich diet of books that they read and have read to them.

Children are taught to write for different purposes and audiences, adapting their language and style for a variety of genres. They are given regular opportunities to celebrate their work by reading out in class, publishing and presenting their work to a wider audience.

Punctuation and grammar skills are taught through shared and guided writing as well as discretely and there is clear progression throughout the school.

Weekly spelling sessions are delivered, based on the North Somerset spelling scheme and children are given opportunities to practise their spellings in the context of writing. Spelling shed is also used as a planning resource.

Nelson Handwriting scheme ensures that children progressively develop the technical skills needed to write clearly and neatly.

Proofreading and editing skills are fundamental to the children making improvements in their own and others’ work so time is dedicated to the development of these skills throughout Key Stage 1 and 2. From Year 2, an editing code is used to support children as they proof read, edit and improve their work.

Whole class feedback is given regularly throughout each unit of writing; here, children are celebrated and given opportunities to read their work to the class. In upper KS1 and KS2, key teaching points are highlighted and children are given opportunities to develop their learning in sentence construction, spelling and grammar based on common misconceptions or errors. Whole class feedback sheets are used for this purpose and children are then given opportunities to improve their own work.