At Waverley Junior Academy we want all of our pupils to write with confidence and accuracy for a variety of purposes and audiences - whilst developing their own individual flair. We want our pupils to be able to write with grammatical accuracy and be able to apply spelling patterns correctly using a neat handwriting style. We aim to expose our pupils to a wide range of vocabulary, in all areas of the curriculum, so that they able to decipher new words and then use them when speaking both informally and formally.   

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the ‘Communication and Language’ and ‘Literacy’ areas of learning support pupils in developing their English skills. The FS2 curriculum and print rich learning environment ensure pupils have access to focussed, teacher led writing tasks as well as opportunities for child-initiated activities within continuous provision.

Thorough phonics assessments completed by the Early Years teachers enables a smooth transition into Key Stage One and ensures pupils continue to make good progress. Lessons are planned to cover all objectives set out in the statutory English curriculum and develop pupils’ understanding of the writing process. 

The writing process includes: planning; drafting; sharing; evaluating; revising and editing; summarising; word, sentence, paragraph and whole text construction. This process begins with learning how to hold a pencil and correctly to form letters and develops throughout the time at school to enable the children to leave primary school able to write for a range of purposes.

To engage the children, we plan pre-writing activities where they can assess what they already know, research an unfamiliar topic, or arrange their ideas visually. We use appropriate reading materials to help children build their understanding of features of writing and allow time for them to talk about their ideas before starting to write. 

As children move into Key Stage 2 and write extended texts they are encouraged to proof read their own work to enable them to identify improvements. As they build their knowledge of writing, teacher marking and feedback encourages independence. Children respond to this marking using a green pen to enable them to see the progress they have made. Publishing work is a celebration of written work to be proud of. 

We believe foundations in spelling should be put in place from an early age. Within FS2 and KS1 the focus is on phonics and pupils are immersed in the world of phonics as soon as they enter school and access a daily lesson. The pupils in Y1 and Y2 also learn the common exception word lists for their year groups. As pupils move towards the end of KS1 the focus changes from phonics to the acquisition of spelling rules and strategies. Within Y2 pupils begin to learn words from the national curriculum word list. Key spelling strategies and rules are taught within the classroom and pupils receive weekly spelling lists or individualised spelling lists to learn at home. Alongside learning spelling rules and strategies Y3/4 and Y5/6 are also expected to learn the words lists as stated in the national curriculum.  

Planning at Waverley Junior Academy reflects a learning journey through a unit of work. Plans are developed using the National Curriculum and the 'Writing Standards' for each year group. Teachers ensure they cover a variety of genres and that the success criteria for each one supports progression. These documents can be downloaded below.