At Tewin Cowper Primary School, we believe that writing is a powerful way for children to communicate ideas, express creativity and develop their voice. Inspired by our mustard seed vision, we nurture small steps in writing so that pupils grow into confident authors who enjoy writing for a range of purposes and audiences.

What we want children to learn

At Tewin Cowper, we aim to inspire the author in every child. Through exposure to a wide range of high-quality literary texts, we immerse pupils in rich vocabulary and engaging ideas that encourage discussion, imagination and creativity.

We aim for pupils to:

• Develop a love of writing and see themselves as writers
• Write confidently for a range of purposes and audiences
• Build strong foundations in grammar, spelling and handwriting
• Use ambitious vocabulary and varied sentence structures
• Apply writing skills across the wider curriculum

Our goal is for children to see themselves as writers for life, not just for school.

How writing is taught

From September 2024, writing is taught using the Essentials Writing scheme, ensuring a clear progression of writing skills across the school.

Lessons are based around high-quality core texts, allowing pupils to explore different genres, develop ideas and write for clear purposes and audiences.

The scheme ensures that:

• Genre progression is clearly structured across year groups
• Writing purposes and outcomes are clearly defined
• National Curriculum objectives are carefully sequenced and revisited
• Grammar is taught explicitly and progressively
• Core writing skills are regularly revisited to embed learning

Spelling is taught systematically through phonics in EYFS and Key Stage 1, and through Essential Spelling in Key Stage 2 as pupils progress through the school.

Handwriting is taught explicitly using Twinkl programmes:

• Reception pupils begin with printed letter formation
• Key Stage 1 pupils develop cursive writing with lead-ins and loops
• Key Stage 2 pupils learn to join letters fluently to write legibly and efficiently

Teachers model high standards of writing, handwriting and presentation across all subjects, and pupils are encouraged to apply their writing skills throughout the wider curriculum.

What children achieve

Through a carefully structured and supportive writing curriculum, pupils develop confidence, creativity and technical accuracy in their writing.

By the time pupils leave Tewin Cowper, they will:

• Write clearly and confidently for a range of purposes and audiences
• Use appropriate grammar, punctuation and spelling
• Demonstrate fluent, legible handwriting
• Use vocabulary and language structures to communicate ideas effectively
• Take pride in their writing and recognise their own progress

As a result, pupils leave Tewin Cowper believing in their ability to express themselves, growing in confidence and creativity, and succeeding as thoughtful and capable writers.