Writing at Chapel Hill
Our Vision for English Writing
At Chapel Hill, the teaching of writing is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that strong writing skills are essential not only for success in school, but also for communication, creativity and future opportunities beyond education.
We believe that every child has the potential to become a confident, capable and expressive writer. Through high-quality teaching, engaging experiences and purposeful opportunities to write, we strive for all pupils to make excellent progress throughout their time at Chapel Hill.
Our aim is for every child to leave Key Stage 2 able to write with confidence, accuracy, creativity and pride.
Intent
Writing
At Chapel Hill, we provide a broad, balanced and engaging English curriculum that inspires children to develop a love of writing.
Children are exposed to a rich variety of high-quality texts, including:
- Modern and classic literature
- Poetry
- Non-fiction texts
- Film clips and visual media
- Real-life experiences and cross-curricular themes
These carefully selected stimuli provide meaningful inspiration for writing while helping children broaden their vocabulary, deepen understanding and develop their imagination.
We aim for every child to leave Chapel Hill able to:
- Write confidently for a range of purposes and audiences
- Use ambitious vocabulary effectively
- Apply grammar and punctuation accurately
- Speak clearly and express ideas confidently
- Enjoy reading, writing and communication
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Grammar, punctuation and spelling are taught explicitly and progressively throughout the school to ensure pupils develop a secure understanding of written and spoken English.
Key skills are taught regularly within English lessons and are carefully linked to the writing outcomes children are producing. This allows pupils to apply new learning immediately within meaningful writing contexts.
Through consistent practice and application, children develop the confidence to use language accurately, effectively and creatively.
Handwriting
Handwriting is recognised as an important life skill and is taught explicitly across the school.
Teachers model correct letter formation, joins, ascenders and descenders to help pupils develop fluent, legible and consistent handwriting.
We use the Nelson Handwriting scheme to support progression and ensure children develop a neat, joined handwriting style that they can use confidently across the curriculum.
Implementation
At Chapel Hill, English lessons are carefully planned to develop reading, writing, vocabulary and communication skills together.
Our English Writing provision includes:
- A daily one-hour English lesson across the school
- Opportunities to write in a wide range of styles, genres and purposes
- Weekly Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling teaching embedded within English lessons
- Speaking and listening opportunities to develop vocabulary and oral language skills
- Dedicated handwriting sessions to promote fluency and presentation
- Weekly “Big Write” lessons from Year 1 to Year 6
Wondrous Words
Vocabulary development is a key focus throughout the school. Through our “Wondrous Words” approach, children are encouraged to explore, collect and apply ambitious vocabulary within their writing.
High-quality texts used during English lessons provide rich language models that help pupils develop confidence in using exciting and purposeful vocabulary independently.
Big Write
Big Write lessons provide pupils with extended opportunities to apply their writing skills independently. Children are encouraged to demonstrate their understanding of grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and genre features within purposeful writing tasks.
These sessions help children build stamina, independence and confidence as writers.
Impact
At Chapel Hill, pupils develop into confident, articulate and skilled writers who are able to communicate effectively for a range of purposes and audiences.
By the time pupils leave our school, they:
- Write confidently and creatively across a range of genres
- Apply grammar, punctuation and spelling accurately
- Use ambitious vocabulary effectively
- Demonstrate clear progression in writing skills year on year
- Take pride in the presentation and quality of their work
- Make meaningful links between different writing styles, features and language choices
Progress is carefully monitored through:
- Termly formal assessments
- Ongoing teacher assessment within lessons
- Moderation and professional discussion between staff
- Regular opportunities for independent application of skills
Through this consistent and embedded approach, pupils leave Chapel Hill with a strong foundation in English and the confidence to apply their communication skills successfully in future learning and beyond.