Our ‘Fundamentals First’ writing curriculum is bespoke, designed to develop confident, fluent, and creative communicators. We prioritise the early development of handwriting and spelling to reduce cognitive load, allowing children to focus on the power of their composition.

• The Writing Process: Following DfE guidance, we teach writing through a consistent four-stage process: Concept, Innovate, Create, and Invent. This journey moves from teacher modelling to structured application, and finally to independent writing across different areas of the curriculum.

• Oracy as a Foundation: We believe writing ‘floats on a sea of talk’. Children are encouraged to rehearse sentence structures orally before putting pen to paper, ensuring their ideas are articulated effectively.

• Spelling and Handwriting: We use a phonics-led approach to spelling in EYFS and Lower School, transitioning to the Essential Spelling scheme in Y4, which focuses on morphology and etymology. Handwriting is taught daily using the Teach Handwriting scheme to ensure a progressive development from print to continuous cursive.

• Impact: Our students are becoming increasingly independent writers who can adapt their style for various purposes and audiences. We celebrate their progress through published writing books that follow them throughout their time at school.