Writing at King's Gate Primary School

Here at King’s Gate Primary School, we have developed a well-sequenced writing curriculum and established a school-wide writing culture. Our aim is to help every child grow in confidence as a writer, experiencing writing as purposeful, imaginative and central to how they communicate and make sense of the world.

Our English curriculum includes:
• A balance of reading and writing rooted in high-quality texts
• A strong focus on phonics, transcription (handwriting and spelling), and composition
• The use of mentor texts and teacher modelling
• Structured opportunities for independent, guided, and published writing
• Feedback, editing, and reflection as integral parts of the process
• Inclusive support, including SEN provision, interventions, and assistive technology

More detail about our approach can be found in our English Handbook.

At King’s Gate, we do not believe that statutory assessment frameworks should dictate the curriculum. Instead, we have developed our own set of Writing Milestones, underpinned by rich, research-informed curriculum thinking, to help teachers and pupils understand how writing skills build progressively across their time at King’s Gate.

Sentence mastery forms the foundation of writing: beginning with oral rehearsal and sentence-combining in Reception and Key Stage 1, and developing into the deliberate crafting and control of a wide range of sentence structures in Key Stage 2.

Grammar teaching is always rooted in effect. Pupils are taught to consider how their sentence choices influence meaning and clarity for the non-present reader.

Developing good writers at King’s Gate

In addition to our Writing Milestones, we use our fiction and non-fiction progression documents to ensure that children’s skills are built on secure foundations and develop progressively over time.

Clear, legible, joined handwriting is taught consistently across the school, with pupils using ‘tram line’ books to support letter formation and spacing until they are ready for a fully joined style.

Spelling is taught systematically, following our school’s agreed progression and supported by targeted interventions where appropriate.

Oracy underpins writing: children are encouraged to discuss a wide range of subjects, rehearse ideas aloud, and express themselves clearly in both speech and writing.

Throughout the writing process, children are taught to revise and edit their work. They are supported to take responsibility for improving their writing and are given structured opportunities to apply feedback, develop independence, and publish their work for an audience.

How teachers support children to develop their writing

• Expose children to high-quality texts across a wide range of genres and authors.

• Provide opportunities to analyse how writers use language and structure for effect.

• Develop pupils’ vocabulary and language choices through reading and oral rehearsal, making deliberate links to writing.

• Ensure pupils recognise the importance of planning, revising, and editing in creating high-quality writing.

• Continuously make purposeful links between reading and writing, while also teaching writing as a discipline in its own right.

Developing Writers in KS1

In Key Stage 1, our priority is to build secure foundations for writing so that children grow in confidence and independence as they move into KS2. This means pupils are supported to:

• Develop sentence mastery, beginning with oral rehearsal and sentence-combining, and moving towards writing increasingly varied and accurate sentences.

• Apply their growing knowledge of phonics and spelling to encode words accurately, supported by daily phonics sessions and targeted interventions where needed.

• Develop a clear, legible handwriting style, moving from ‘tram line’ books to a joined script as they become more confident.

• Use talk to shape and rehearse their ideas before writing, recognising that oracy underpins composition.

• Write simple texts with a clear purpose, beginning to plan, compose, and re-read their writing to check for meaning.

• Begin to revise and edit their work with adult guidance, learning that writing can be improved through reflection and small changes.

• Make deliberate choices about vocabulary and sentence structure, supported by teacher modelling and shared analysis of mentor texts.

How teachers support developing writers in KS1

• Model writing regularly, showing how sentences are constructed and how grammar choices affect meaning.

• Provide structured opportunities for oral rehearsal, sentence-building, and shared composition.

• Offer daily practice in transcription (phonics, spelling and handwriting) to secure fluency.

• Expose pupils to high-quality texts that model the language and structures of different genres.

• Give feedback during and after writing to help pupils reflect on clarity and accuracy.

• Create an environment where writing is valued, mistakes are seen as part of learning, and children are encouraged to take early creative risks.

Writing Mastery in KS2

By the end of KS2, we aim for all children to demonstrate mastery in their writing. This means they can:

• Talk confidently about their writing and the writing process, setting personal targets for improvement.

• Re-read their writing critically and identify how to improve it through editing and revising.

• Apply the grammar, punctuation and sentence structures they have been taught to create clarity and impact for the reader.

• Plan effectively to develop their ideas and use these plans to write appropriately for audience and purpose.

• Apply writing skills consistently across the curriculum, while protecting the integrity of each subject.

• Write at length with stamina and independence, continually striving to improve the quality of their work.

• Take creative risks with language, punctuation, and sentence structure to develop their style.

How teachers facilitate mastery and independence in writing

• Provide structured opportunities for discussion about writing skills and the writing process.

• Give pupils regular chances to write independently and at length, across different subjects and genres.

• Create a classroom culture that encourages experimentation and risk-taking in writing.

• Build in sufficient time for independent revision and editing before teacher feedback.

• Use peer assessment and dialogue with adults to help pupils reflect on how writing can be improved.