Writing
Literacy Curriculum Statement of Intent
At Hylton Castle Primary School, we provide a literacy curriculum that encourages all children to achieve their dreams and goals as readers and writers. It is important for our children that we promote the development of language and the clear and accurate use of vocabulary in both spoken and written form, and we recognise the importance of language not only in literacy, but in all areas of life. We strive to engage all of our pupils in the writing process and want our children to use their imaginations and to view themselves as real authors who work through all stages of the writing process with enthusiasm. As independent writers we encourage our pupils to think about the audience, purpose, style and form of each piece of writing they produce, as well as making well thought out grammar choices. Our pupils take pride in their written work and enjoy being challenged to edit and improve their writing to ensure that their writing is always the best that it can be for both content and presentation. We support all pupils to become confident, fluent readers who show resilience when texts become more challenging. We value the importance of reading widely and for different purposes and encourage a love of reading. Most importantly, we strive to provide a literacy curriculum that enables all pupils to develop their literacy skills and one which prepares them for their chosen future careers.
Writing Statement of Intent
At Hylton Castle Primary School, we are committed to developing confident, fluent writers who can communicate their ideas with accuracy, creativity, and purpose. Writing is a core part of our curriculum, and we believe that strong writing skills are built on a secure foundation of basic skills, regular practice and tailored support.
All pupils take part in daily writing lessons, which include focused sessions on handwriting, spelling, grammar, and composition. These lessons emphasise repetition and routine to develop automaticity so that children can write fluently and accurately without hesitation. By embedding these skills early and revisiting them often, pupils build confidence and stamina in their writing.
In the Foundation Stage, pupils focus on developing correct pencil grip, letter and number formation, and using their phonic knowledge to record simple phrases and sentences. This builds the foundations for writing success by developing early motor skills, fine control, and confidence in mark-making.
In Year 1, children continue to apply their growing phonics knowledge while practising the use of high-frequency words (HFW) in both dictated and independently written sentences. This helps pupils to internalise spelling patterns and sentence structure through meaningful repetition.
In Year 2, dictation continues to be used as a supportive tool for those who need reinforcement of core writing skills. It enables pupils to focus on sentence construction, punctuation, and spelling until they are ready to write more freely and fluently on their own. As fluency builds, pupils begin to write independently with greater ease and confidence.
Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils build on their foundational skills by applying their writing to a wide variety of genres. They study the National Curriculum objectives and learn how to adapt their writing for different audiences and purposes, considering the intent, form, and style of their work. As they develop independence, pupils are taught how to plan, draft, edit, and improve their writing, and how to publish it in an appropriate form. By the time they reach Upper Key Stage 2, children write with increasing accuracy, confidence, and flair, approaching writing tasks with a strong sense of voice and purpose. These skills ensure they are well-prepared for the next stage of their education and for life beyond primary school
- Writing Genre Coverage
- Y1 & 2 Writing Expectations
- Y3 & 4 Writing Expectations
- Y5 & 6 Writing Expectations
Handwriting
We take a consistent, developmental approach to handwriting to support children in becoming confident and fluent writers. In Reception, pupils are taught correct letter formation through the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics scheme, which links handwriting directly to the sounds they are learning. In Year 1, we begin to introduce initial letter flicks to prepare children for a joined, cursive style. This is further developed in Year 2, where both initial and final flicks are reinforced to support smooth, flowing writing. From Year 3 onwards, the expectation is that pupils will write using a joined, fluent handwriting style that enables them to write with increasing speed and legibility across the curriculum. We have high expectations for presentation, and pupils are encouraged to take pride in their work. This includes using neat, legible handwriting in both handwriting books and all written work across subjects.
Spelling
Our approach to teaching spelling is designed to develop confident and accurate spellers by building a strong understanding of spelling patterns, rules, and exceptions. We follow the National Curriculum as the foundation for our spelling progression and use Purple Mash as a key teaching resource to support learning in an interactive and engaging way. Each week, pupils are introduced to a specific spelling rule, which is then practised daily through a variety of activities including word matrices, word sorting activities , and investigative tasks that help children explore and apply the rule to different words. This approach ensures that pupils learn the underlying spelling rule, rather than simply memorising a list of words. We also teach exceptions to the rules, encouraging deeper thinking and discussion around language patterns and helping pupils become more flexible and resilient spellers. To assess progress, we use dictation activities and regularly review pupils’ application of spelling rules within their independent written work, ensuring that they can use their knowledge accurately and confidently across the curriculum.