The All Saints’ Way…

English Curriculum at All Saints’ C of E Primary School

English in the Early Years

At All Saints’ C of E Primary School, we recognise that the foundations of successful reading and writing begin in the Early Years. In line with the DfE's Strong Foundations in the First Years of School and Writing Framework, we prioritise the systematic development of spoken language, phonological awareness, early reading, handwriting and composition, ensuring that every child develops the essential basic knowledge and skills needed to become a confident and successful writer.

We believe that talk is the foundation of writing. Through high-quality adult interactions, storytelling, traditional tales, rhymes, songs and carefully selected vocabulary-rich texts, children develop the language, imagination and confidence needed to communicate their ideas. Adults model ambitious vocabulary (included on knowledge organisers with dual coding widgit symbols), extend children's responses and provide opportunities for children to rehearse sentences orally, using sentence stems before attempting to write them.

Our carefully planned Early Years environment promotes a love of reading and writing through purposeful, engaging opportunities across all areas of continuous provision. Children are encouraged to make marks, form letters, write labels, captions, messages and simple sentences for meaningful purposes. Writing materials are readily accessible, enabling children to practise and apply their developing skills independently to display on their individual display boards in class to celebrate their achievements. 

Alongside these opportunities, we recognise the importance of direct, systematic teaching of the foundational skills of writing. In Reception, children receive daily, group Read Write Inc. phonics teaching, enabling them to develop secure knowledge of phoneme–grapheme correspondences, blending and segmenting. They are explicitly taught correct letter formation, pencil grip and control, how to sit correctly at the table ready to writing, spelling and sentence construction, building towards increasingly independent writing.

We recognise that writing places significant demands on young children's working memory. Therefore, teachers carefully sequence learning, provide clear modelling, use oral rehearsal and sentence stems which are progressive across year groups and ensure sufficient opportunities for repetition and practice. Our aim is for children to develop automaticity in transcription skills so that they can increasingly concentrate on the content and meaning of their writing.

Through ongoing assessment, adults identify gaps in foundational knowledge quickly and provide timely additional teaching and practice. Children with SEND and those who need additional support/ disadvantaged children receive carefully adapted teaching (e.g. Go Back Project) without compromising our high expectations.

By the end of Reception, our ambition is for children to confidently apply their phonics knowledge to spell words, form recognisable letters and write simple sentences that can be read by others, providing secure foundations for the Year 1 curriculum.

English Curriculum Intent...

Discovering God, Learning Together, Achieving Our Best

At All Saints’ C of E Primary School, our English curriculum is rooted in our Christian vision of Discovering God, Learning Together, Achieving Our Best. We believe that every child, regardless of background, starting point or additional need, deserves the opportunity to become a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader, writer and communicator.

Our ambitious, inclusive and carefully sequenced English curriculum reflects the expectations of the National Curriculum, the DfE Writing Framework, Strong Foundations and the 2026 Ofsted Education Inspection Framework. We place particular emphasis on securing the foundational knowledge and skills that enable children to write accurately, independently and with increasing sophistication.

Discovering God

Through high-quality literature, storytelling and purposeful writing opportunities, pupils explore the richness of language and develop an understanding of themselves, others and the wider world. Writing provides a powerful means of expressing ideas, beliefs, feelings and reflections, enabling pupils to explore their faith, demonstrate courageous advocacy and communicate messages that can positively influence others.

Learning Together

We recognise that effective communication begins with listening and speaking. Our curriculum prioritises oracy, vocabulary development, discussion and collaborative learning (using Kagan strategies) as essential foundations for reading and writing. Through shared texts, teacher modelling, oral rehearsal and constructive feedback both verbal and written (making use of visualisers in all classes), pupils learn to articulate their ideas, organise their thoughts and develop confidence in communicating through written language.

Achieving Our Best

We have the highest aspirations for every pupil to become an accurate, fluent and independent writer. Our curriculum is deliberately sequenced to secure the essential building blocks of writing, including handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, grammar, punctuation and composition. Through explicit instruction, carefully scaffolded practice and increasing independence, pupils develop the knowledge and confidence to write effectively for different audiences and purposes.

Writing is a central priority within our English curriculum. We recognise that becoming a successful writer requires children to master two interconnected aspects:

• Transcription: the accurate and increasingly automatic application of spelling and handwriting.

• Composition: the ability to generate, organise, structure, articulate and communicate ideas through written language.

We understand that pupils cannot become fluent, confident writers unless these foundational skills are explicitly taught, securely embedded and revisited throughout their primary education.

Our curriculum therefore places particular emphasis on the early development of phonics, handwriting, spelling, oral sentence construction and punctuation, ensuring that children develop the fluency needed to concentrate increasingly on the quality and purpose of their writing.

Through our Pathways to Write approach, introduced in September 2026, pupils experience an ambitious, progressive and literature-rich writing curriculum. Carefully selected high-quality texts inspire pupils to explore language, develop vocabulary, understand different genres and produce increasingly sophisticated written outcomes.

Reading remains at the heart of our curriculum, providing pupils with the knowledge, vocabulary, imagination and understanding that enrich their writing. However, we recognise that exposure to high-quality texts alone does not teach children how to write. Explicit teaching, modelling, guided practice, feedback and opportunities for independent application are essential to securing writing success.

Our curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Revisit and consolidate previously taught writing skills using Gateway Keys (in line with Pathways To Write scheme). 

• Develop fluent, legible and increasingly automatic handwriting using the ISHA approach (linked to INSET September 2026).

• Apply secure phonics and spelling knowledge accurately (using Read, Write Inc. scheme following into Spelling Shed online). 

• Construct grammatically accurate sentences using appropriate punctuation (with the use of Grammarsaurus resources to support). 

• Develop a rich vocabulary through reading, talk and explicit teaching using tiered vocabulary on working walls in classes alongside widgit images (also utilising Stockport Speaks/ Voice 21 materials). 

• Understand and apply the conventions of different writing forms - Feature Keys (in line with Pathways To Write Scheme). 

• Plan, compose, evaluate and improve their writing with increasing independence.

• Write coherently and effectively for different purposes and audiences.

• Develop confidence, enjoyment and pride in their writing. 

• Transfer their writing knowledge and skills across the wider curriculum.

Ultimately, our ambition is that every child leaves All Saints’ as a confident, capable and enthusiastic writer, equipped with the knowledge, skills and determination to communicate effectively and achieve their God-given potential.

Implementation...

Our English curriculum is carefully structured to ensure that children acquire, practise, secure and independently apply the essential knowledge and skills required for successful reading and writing.

In line with the DfE Writing Framework and Strong Foundations, we recognise that effective writing instruction must be explicit, systematic, progressive and responsive to pupils' needs.

Securing Strong Foundations in Writing

From Reception through Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2, we prioritise the development of secure transcription and composition skills.

In Reception and Key Stage 1, daily Read Write Inc. phonics provides systematic teaching of phoneme–grapheme correspondences, segmenting and spelling. Children receive explicit teaching of handwriting through our ISHA approach, with a strong emphasis on correct letter formation, consistency, fluency and presentation.

Handwriting is taught systematically beyond the Early Years, with regular opportunities for practice and application. We recognise that fluent handwriting reduces the cognitive demands of writing, allowing pupils to focus more effectively on sentence construction and composition.

Spelling is taught progressively through phonics, spelling patterns, morphology and the application of statutory spelling expectations. Teachers identify and address misconceptions promptly, ensuring that gaps in foundational knowledge do not become barriers to future success.

Sentence construction is a central element of our writing curriculum. Children are explicitly taught how to orally rehearse, construct, extend and punctuate sentences before progressing towards increasingly complex written compositions. Teachers use modelling, dictation, shared writing, guided practice and carefully selected scaffolds to support pupils in securing accuracy and independence.

Pathways to Write – Our Writing Curriculum

Since September 2026, All Saints’ has implemented Pathways to Write as our whole-school matery approach to teaching writing.  Units of work are delivered using high quality texts and children in all year groups are given varied opportunities for writing. Skills are built up through repetition within the units, and children apply these skills in the writing activities provided.  Many opportunities for widening children’s vocabulary are given through the Pathways to Write approach and this builds on the extensive work we do in school to provide our children with a rich and varied vocabulary.  

You will find the end of year expectations for writing for each of our year groups in the attached documents at the bottom of this webpage.

This provides a carefully sequenced, progressive and literature-rich curriculum, using high-quality texts to inspire purposeful writing and develop pupils' understanding of vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, text structure and composition.

Through Pathways to Write, pupils develop writing skills and new objectives half termly (Mastery Keys) and revisit key writing skills, building on prior learning and progressively applying their knowledge with greater confidence and independence.

Each unit identifies key writing skills and opportunities to revisit previously taught knowledge, ensuring that pupils develop secure understanding rather than simply completing isolated writing activities.

Our teaching incorporates the writing process of:

Immerse

Analyse

Plan

Write

Edit

A structured writing process supported by explicit teaching, modelling, rehearsal, feedback and independent application.

Teachers use high-quality models displayed on flip chart paper on working walls in classes, worked examples, shared writing, oral rehearsal, discussion and carefully structured activities to support pupils in understanding how successful writing is constructed.

Each teaching sequence builds towards an independent extended writing outcome, our WriteAway at the end of each half term, providing pupils with opportunities to demonstrate and apply their learning. These independent outcomes are used alongside everyday writing, including an initial assessment at the start of each unit,  to assess pupils' developing knowledge, fluency and independence and teach according to gaps in knowledge and understanding. 

Explicit Teaching, Modelling and Scaffolding

Teachers follow a consistent approach to effective writing instruction, ensuring that new learning is introduced in manageable steps and that pupils receive sufficient opportunities to practise before working independently.

Teachers use:

• Clear explanations and live modelling of handwriting, spelling, sentence construction and composition - displayed on flip chart paper / flip charts on Interactive White Boards etc. to demonstate the journey of writing through the unit). 

• Oral rehearsal and sentence-level practice to develop accuracy and fluency.

• Shared and guided writing to demonstrate the thinking processes involved in successful composition.

• Purposeful scaffolding, including vocabulary banks, sentence stems, worked examples and writing models.

• Regular retrieval and revisiting of previously taught skills (Mastery Keys). 

• Timely feedback and opportunities to edit and improve writing (Red Pens edits to green for growth feedback with a key focus on spelling, handwriting and foundational knowledge). 

• Gradual removal of scaffolds as pupils become increasingly confident and independent.

Writing working walls provide accessible, relevant support, including key vocabulary, modelled examples, sentence structures, grammatical features and reminders of current writing expectations.

We recognise that pupils require sufficient practice to secure foundational skills and develop automaticity. Consequently, teachers carefully balance creative writing opportunities with the explicit teaching and consolidation of essential transcription and sentence-level knowledge.

Progression, Assessment and Inclusion

Writing knowledge and skills are carefully sequenced from Reception to Year 6, with particular emphasis on the transition from Reception into Key Stage 1 and the secure development of foundational writing skills through Year 3.

Teachers use ongoing assessment to identify pupils' strengths, misconceptions and gaps in learning. This informs responsive teaching, targeted practice and timely intervention.

Our approach reflects the inclusive expectations of the 2026 Ofsted framework, ensuring that disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and those requiring additional support receive high-quality teaching and the adaptations necessary to succeed.

Adaptations may include additional oral rehearsal, reduced cognitive demands, pre-teaching vocabulary, explicit sentence modelling, practical resources, further transcription practice and additional adult guidance.

Our ambition remains consistent for all pupils: high expectations, secure foundational knowledge and increasing independence in writing.

Writing Across the Curriculum

At All Saints’, writing is not confined to English lessons. Pupils are provided with purposeful opportunities to apply their writing knowledge and skills across subjects including RE and Worldviews, History, Geography and Science especially.

Teachers reinforce consistent expectations for handwriting, spelling, grammar, punctuation and presentation, ensuring that pupils understand the importance of communicating accurately and effectively in every curriculum area. 

Cross-curricular writing provides meaningful opportunities for pupils to apply previously taught knowledge, develop subject-specific vocabulary and communicate their understanding for authentic purposes.

Impact...

The impact of our English curriculum is reflected in pupils who develop the knowledge, fluency, confidence and independence required to become successful readers, writers and communicators.

Our ambition is for every pupil to make strong progress from their individual starting points, securing the foundational knowledge and skills needed to access increasingly demanding writing tasks throughout their primary education.

In line with the expectations of the DfE Writing Framework, Strong Foundations and the 2026 Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, we evaluate the effectiveness of our writing curriculum through what pupils know, remember, understand and can independently apply over time.

We expect to see:

• Secure foundational skills: pupils increasingly demonstrate accurate spelling, fluent handwriting, effective sentence construction and appropriate punctuation.

• Increasing automaticity: pupils become more fluent in transcription, enabling them to concentrate on generating, organising and refining their ideas.

• High-quality composition: pupils write coherently and confidently for different purposes and audiences, applying appropriate vocabulary, grammar and text structures.

• Independent application: pupils transfer their writing knowledge and skills into independent extended writing and across the wider curriculum.

• Positive attitudes to writing: pupils demonstrate enjoyment, confidence, resilience and pride in their written work.

• Inclusive achievement: pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those requiring additional support make progress through carefully adapted teaching and timely intervention.

The quality of writing in Writing Books - to show the journey of writing, English books- spelling, handwriting, grammar - basic skills, independent WriteAway outcomes and wider curriculum books provides evidence of how pupils develop, retain and apply their writing knowledge over time.

We use ongoing formative assessment, regular book scrutiny and monitoring including the staff team, pupil voice, writing assessments and professional discussions to evaluate the effectiveness of our teaching and identify priorities for improvement.

Writing is moderated half-termly through our whole-school Padlet, enabling staff to share examples, evaluate standards, discuss progression and secure consistent expectations across year groups. This is strengthened by twice-yearly moderation with other local authority schools, supported by English consultant Maddy Barnes.

Leaders monitor the implementation and impact of Pathways to Write, with a particular focus on the quality of teaching, foundational writing skills, curriculum progression, the accuracy of assessment and outcomes for pupils who may be at risk of falling behind.

We recognise that the impact of a successful writing curriculum is not measured simply by the quantity or presentation of written work, but by the quality, accuracy, fluency and independence of pupils' writing and their ability to apply what they have learned in increasingly challenging contexts.

Ultimately, our English curriculum enables pupils at All Saints’ to develop a genuine love of language and writing, to communicate with confidence and purpose, and to flourish as independent learners.

Through Discovering God, Learning Together and Achieving Our Best, we aim for every child to leave our school equipped with the writing knowledge, skills and confidence needed to succeed in secondary education and beyond.