Writing

Writing

The teaching of writing at Bishop Lonsdale focuses on the competencies of transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing).

Children are systematically taught spelling, grammar and punctuation using the National Curriculum English Programme of Study. Starting from EYFS, children use the Phonics programme to begin to segment the sounds they learn into letters that represent the sound and this is built on as pupils progress through school.

Handwriting is taught using the cursive script (joined letters) from Reception and pupils are taught how to form and join letters correctly. At Bishop Lonsdale there is an expectation that children present their work to a high standard both in using the cursive script and ensuring that writing is legible.

The composition element of writing is taught using Talk for Writing. This approach has an emphasis on helping children expand their vocabulary through the spoken word which then enables them to apply the acquired language into writing. Children build up a bank of orally rehearsed well known stories and rhymes allowing them to understand and internalise language structures. Children also learn how to write for other purposes and explore different structures related to non-fiction texts and poetry. These language structures give children a firm foundation on which to build coherent and expressive ways to communicate through writing.