Writing

At Fox Grove School, we strive to provide our pupils with a range of opportunities to work towards writing independently. Writing is one of many tools for pupils to share their information, ideas and communicate in school and in daily life.

We aspire to efficient handwriting for our pupils and offer typing skills in addition from Stage 3. Handwriting resources utilise the font SASOON INFANT SET 6 in line with Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised SSP

Due to the varying needs of our pupils, some experience challenges with their fine motor skills and visual motor speed which may inhibit their ability to write effectively. A wide range of developmentally appropriate strategies are used to support pupils in their writing skills. For more information, please see our Stages of Progression for Writing document. This document was researched and produced in consultation with our Occupational Therapy team.

We recognise that although some pupils may not have the fine motor skills to physically write. We value content of pupils’ ideas and enable alternative methods of recording to enable their self-expression. Eg Through use of adult scribes and different media.

Writing is implemented in a variety of ways covering different genres and different purposes. Pupils are taught writing using their key text for the half term as a source of inspiration for a range of writing purposes. More information can be found in our English Learning Journey.

Spelling skills are integral to Little Wandle approaches. Pupils learn to spell as they learn to read. Key spelling words are targetted within 1:1 phonics sessions each week. Secondary English lessons specifically teach and mark pupils writing for target vocabulary from the key text including statutory spelling words. Common exception words and statutory spellings words are included in the Spellings Overview for Fox Grove Stages.

The Fox Grove Writing Rolling Programme is currently under review. Teachers are creating a Learning Journey for writing across the year groups.

We are currently researching Talk for Writing to continue our journey of the teaching of writing with whole staff training planned for September 2024 to launch the use of Talk For Writing.

The National Curriculum age related content is delivered using specialist strategies specific to the Fox Grove 6 Stages of Progression for Writing.