At Highgate Primary School, children are supported to become highly competent writers within a range of genres. Our approach to teaching writing follows the principles promoted by the Centre for Communication in Primary Education (CLPE).
‘Developing children as writers is so much more than asking them to remember grammatical constructions or tricky spellings. It is a complicated and intricate process – and if you enable a child to become a writer you have given them a voice, supported them to communicate and provided them with a skill that is vital for all of their schooling and to their life beyond.’
The school understands the role reading plays in developing writing and the value of children being immersed in high quality literature. The Highgate Primary Curriculum ensures children have experience of a breadth of high quality texts, from Nursery through to Year 6.
Children throughout the school are provided with a wide range of meaningful opportunities to write for real purposes and audiences.
Children develop an understanding of the craft of writing by engaging meaningfully with professional authors and their processes. The school has an extensive programme of visiting authors who share their craft with children of all ages.
Children are supported to identify as writers, understand and model the craft and process of writing and to develop their own authentic voice.
Teachers ensure children are given time and space to develop their own ideas in writing, with regular opportunities to write in extended form. Creative teaching approaches are used that build imagination and give time for role play and oral rehearsal.
The school recognises the importance of ensuring the explicit teaching of phonics, grammar and spelling is embedded within our teaching, however teachers ensure that this knowledge is built on within context.
Children’s writing is highly valued and celebrated in a range of ways including the publication of books, the creation of anthologies, display throughout the school, entries to national and local competitions and within our fortnightly ‘Wonderful Work’ assemblies.
Writing Curriculum by Year Group:
