Writing at Cardinham School
At Cardinham School, we believe that every child can become a confident and successful writer. Our writing curriculum is built around the principles of developing ideas, building fluency, writing with purpose and securing the foundational skills that every child needs to communicate effectively. We know that writing is a complex process, so we carefully teach and practise the skills children need, enabling them to express themselves with confidence, creativity and independence.
Our approach follows the TPAT Writing Curriculum while remaining unique to our school community. One of the ways we personalise writing at Cardinham is through our choice of texts. Rather than following a fixed set of books, we carefully select high-quality texts based on the interests, experiences and needs of our children. We consider both engagement and complexity, ensuring that the texts inspire a love of writing whilst providing rich language, vocabulary and ideas that help children grow as writers. This flexibility allows us to respond to our pupils and make writing meaningful, relevant and enjoyable.
We place a strong emphasis on the foundational skills of writing. Research shows that when transcription skills become automatic, children can devote more of their attention to developing ideas, organising their thoughts and writing for an audience. For this reason, handwriting, spelling, vocabulary and sentence construction are taught explicitly and systematically throughout the school.
Handwriting is taught through discrete lessons using Nelson Handwriting. These regular sessions help children develop correct letter formation, pencil control, joins and presentation. By practising handwriting frequently, children build fluency and automaticity, allowing them to record their ideas more efficiently across all areas of the curriculum.
Spelling is taught in dedicated spelling sessions using Spelling Shed. Through a structured and progressive approach, children learn spelling patterns, rules and strategies which are then revisited and applied in their writing. Regular practice helps children secure key spelling knowledge and develop confidence in using increasingly ambitious vocabulary.
Alongside these discrete lessons, children are given opportunities to develop their spoken language, vocabulary and sentence structures through rich discussion and oral rehearsal. We recognise that children need to be able to say their ideas before they can write them effectively. Throughout our writing lessons, pupils engage in purposeful talk, explore new vocabulary and learn how authors use language to create different effects.
Our writing units follow a clear sequence that enables children to succeed. We begin by immersing pupils in high-quality texts and engaging experiences that provide a meaningful purpose for writing. Children then explore how writers craft their work, learn and practise specific skills, and gradually apply these in increasingly independent pieces of writing. Through modelling, shared writing, guided practice and independent application, children are supported at every stage of the writing process.
Writing at Cardinham is not simply about producing a final piece of work. We teach children to plan, draft, revise and improve their writing so that they understand that effective writing develops over time. By building strong foundations, providing exciting and carefully chosen texts, and teaching writing through a structured and supportive approach, we help our children become fluent, resilient and enthusiastic writers who are prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.
