ENGLISH Writing
What our children say about writing
EYFS
Year 1- 'I like writing because I can make my own books. I loved writing my penguin book and drawing all the pictures.'
Year 2-
Our Vision for Writing
Our vision for writing is to create a nurturing, inclusive and inspiring environment where every child feels a strong sense of belonging and develops confidence as a writer. We want all children to feel valued, supported and empowered to express their thoughts, ideas and imagination with increasing independence. We aim to help children see writing as a powerful tool for communication-a way to explore their creativity, share their voice and make sense of the world around them. Through positive relationships and a culture of encouragement, we foster resilience, curiosity and pride in their wriitten work, helping every child believe they can succeed as a writer.
We provide an engaging and language-rich curriculum that equips children with the essential skills they need to thrive: creativity, accuracy, stamina and a secure understanding of grammar and transcription. Our curriculum is designed to ensure progression, inclusivity and a genuine love of writing, preparing every child for the next stage of their learning journey.
Our approach is deeply rooted in our school values, ensuring that all children are encouraged to SHINE as confident, capable and enthusiastic young writers.
How we teach writing
At Doddinghurst Infant School we want every child to feel confident, included and excited about writing. We use real-life experiences from our local community to inspire children's ideas-from writing recounts about village walks, school trips; creating posters linked to the class story or describing what they have observed outdoors. Picture prompts and shared experiences help children generate rich ideas and develop their imagination. Our classrooms are calm, welcoming spaces where children feel safe to take risks, experiment with vocabulary, and try again when things don't go to plan. We know that children begin school with different levels of confidence and early writing experiences so we adapt our teaching to remove barriers and make writing accessible for everyone. Phonic word mats and sound chats support children to spell independently and apply their phonics confidently in their writing. We follow the National Curriculum supported by a well-sequenced English programme that builds a clear journey for all learners. Our approach gives children the time they need to develop creativity, accuracy and stamina with the belief that every child can succeed as a writer.
Handwriting is taught explicitly and practised regularly so children develop consistent letter formation that supports their wider writing skills.
Lessons include a balance of modelling, shared writing and independent practice. We use approaches such as drama, oral rehearsal and sentence building to help children develop strong ideas before they write. Children learn through meaningful contexts- writing letters, stories, fact files and instructions so that they understand the purpose behind their work. We encourage children to learn through enquiry, asking questions, exploring vocabulary and talking about their choices as writers. Collaboration and discussion help children develop confidence, independence and an enjoyment of writing. Throughout the year the children explore stories, authors and special events from around the world, helping them to see writing as something creative, diverse and meaningful.
What children learn and achieve
Writing at our school helps children to grow into confident, imaginative and resilient learners. They begin to see themselves as writers who can communicate clearly, use rich vocabulary and take pride in their work. OUr approach supports children to build a deep and secure understanding of the key skills needed for writing. Children learn how to generate ideas and structure their thoughts. They learn and develop strong foundations in phonics, spelling and sentence construction. Children learn to plan, compose and edit their writing. They explore a wide range of meaningful writing purposes e.g. stories inspired by woodland walks, letters to protect our environment. Through our explicitly taught handwriting lessons and regular practise the children develop fluent, legible and consistent letter formation. By the time they leave our infant school children have a secure grasp of essential writing skills, a positive attitude towards writing and the confidence to continue their writing journey in Key Stage 2 and beyond.
Enrichment
We enrich writing through meaningful, everyday experiences. Children write about real events such as seasonal changes in the school grounds, visits from firemen.
Writing subject progression at Doddinghurst Infant School
Writing vocabulary progression at Doddinghurst Infant School
Mrs Helen Gutteridge
Writing Lead
As Writing Subject Leader, I bring my own lifelong love of writing into everything I do. I’ve always valued the creativity, expression and sense of achievement that writing offers, and I’m passionate about helping children experience that same pride. Writing gives children a voice — a way to share their ideas, imagination and experiences — and I believe every child deserves to feel that their voice matters.
I believe that every child should feel included, supported and excited to put their ideas on paper. Whether children are writing stories, creating fact files about topics they love or writing letters, I want them to feel that writing is meaningful and enjoyable.
Seeing children grow in confidence, choose ambitious vocabulary, develop their own style and proudly say “I wrote this!” is at the heart of how I lead writing across our school. My aim is to nurture writers who feel empowered, capable and proud of what they can achieve.
How families can help at home
Families can support writing at home by encouraging children to write for real purposes:
· Notes
· Lists/Labels
· Cards
· Short stories inspired by everyday life
· Making a diary.
· Talking together, noticing new words and giving children chances to write about things they enjoy helps build confidence, independence and pride in their work.
· Using simple prompts such as pictures, family events or favourite books can make writing feel fun and meaningful.
PhonicsPlay — interactive phonics games to support spelling
https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/
Pobble 365 — daily picture prompts with questions and writing starters
