Writing
Intent
At Altofts Junior School, we believe that writing is a key skill for life both inside and out of education and that is why, wherever possible, it is linked to other curriculum areas and children are exposed to a range of text types. Our aim is to provide children with key transferrable writing skills to build on year on year, that can be used throughout each phase of their education and prepare them for secondary school.
Most of our writing curriculum is book-led as we believe reading is a key element in children’s writing skills. These books provide a stimulus for children’s English lessons. However, in order to help develop children’s imaginative writing, some video will be used as basis for a unit of writing.
Implementation
At Altofts Junior School we aim for children to,
- be given the opportunity to practice and explore the text types and content they are writing about before they produce independent work,
- express their unique ‘writing voice’ through the texts they write,
- choose words for effect to show purpose and audience,
- develop their understanding of the different types of punctuation as set down in the 2014 National Curriculum and understand the impact it has on the reader,
- learn how to spell key words accurately and apply them to their writing,
- develop their handwriting and presentation skills so that they produce pieces of writing they are proud of and that others can read.
- be given quality feedback on how to improve their writing.
Impact
Pupils will make good progress from their own personal starting points. By the end of Year Six, they will be able to write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. Our pupils will acquire a wide vocabulary and have a strong command of the written word. Most importantly, they will develop a love of writing and be well equipped for the rest of their education.
This year, the following books and videos will be used as a stimulus for writing:
Year 3:
Autumn Term: 76 Pumpkin Lane – by Chris Mould
Reindeer Ready (McDonalds Christmas advert 2018)
Spring Term: Stone Age Boy – by Satoshi Kitamura
How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth - by Michelle Robinson
Summer Term: Secrets of a Sun King – by Emma Carroll
Tadeo Jones – (video)
Year 4:
Autumn Term: There’s a Rang-Tan in my Bedroom
– By James Sellick, Frann Preston-Gannon
A Ride of Passage (video)
Spring Term: The Day the Crayons Quit – by Drew Daywalt
Who Let the Gods Out - by Maz Evans
Summer Term: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
– by J K Rowling
Year 5:
Autumn Term: Pandora (video)
The Nowhere Emporium – By Ross Mackenzie
Spring Term: Malamander – by Thomas Taylor
Summer Term: Brightstorm – Vashti Hardy
Year 6:
Autumn Term: Alma (video)
The Christmas Truce (Sainsbury’s Christmas advert 2014)
Spring Term: Letters from the Lighthouse – by Emma Carroll
Summer Term: Formal letter writing
Titanium (video)