Writing

Writing at Eastern Green Junior School is taught through a book-led curriculum.

High-quality texts form the foundation of our writing lessons. These carefully chosen books immerse pupils in strong storytelling, rich vocabulary and effective writing structures before they begin writing themselves.

This approach reflects a key principle of effective writing instruction: children cannot write well unless they have first experienced excellent writing.

Through studying high-quality texts, pupils learn how writers:

structure narratives and explanations
develop characters and settings
use ambitious vocabulary
craft sentences for effect

Children begin writing early in each unit, experimenting with ideas and drafting sections of writing before developing longer pieces over time. This helps pupils develop fluency, confidence and creativity as writers.

Developing Writing Skills

Writing is carefully sequenced across the school so that pupils build their knowledge and skills progressively from Year 3 to Year 6.

Pupils learn to:

plan their writing with a clear purpose and audience
organise ideas into coherent paragraphs
select vocabulary carefully to create atmosphere and clarity
edit and improve their work independently

As pupils move through the school, they develop increasing control over grammar, punctuation and sentence structure, enabling them to write effectively across a wide range of genres.

The curriculum includes both fiction and non-fiction writing, including:

narrative writing
explanation texts
persuasive writing
reports and information texts
poetry
historical and creative writing linked to the wider curriculum

This ensures pupils develop the ability to write for different audiences and purposes.

Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

Alongside composition, pupils are explicitly taught the grammar, punctuation and spelling knowledge required by the National Curriculum.

Teaching focuses on helping pupils to:

use a wide range of sentence structures
apply accurate punctuation including speech punctuation and parenthesis
use cohesive devices to link ideas within and across paragraphs
select precise vocabulary to enhance meaning and impact

By Upper Key Stage 2, pupils learn to control more sophisticated language features such as relative clauses, modal verbs, expanded noun phrases and cohesive devices to improve the quality and clarity of their writing.

Editing and Improving Writing

Pupils are taught that writing is a process of drafting, editing and improving.

Teachers model how writers review their work and make improvements, helping pupils to:

check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors
refine vocabulary choices
improve sentence structure
ensure their writing communicates clearly to the reader

Over time, pupils become increasingly confident in evaluating and improving their own writing and the writing of others.

Speaking and Oral Rehearsal

Speaking and discussion play an important role in the writing process.

Before writing, pupils are encouraged to rehearse ideas orally, discuss vocabulary and share their thinking with others. This helps pupils organise their ideas, clarify their thinking and develop confidence before committing ideas to paper.

Opportunities for drama, storytelling and performance also support pupils in developing strong narrative skills and expressive language.

Handwriting and Presentation

Handwriting is taught progressively so that pupils develop a fluent, joined and legible style of writing.

Pupils learn correct letter formation, joining techniques and presentation skills so that writing becomes increasingly automatic and does not hinder the communication of ideas.

Writing Across the Curriculum

Writing is not taught in isolation. Pupils are given opportunities to apply their writing skills across a wide range of subjects including history, geography, science and religious education.

By linking writing to wider curriculum learning, pupils develop a deeper understanding of subject knowledge while also strengthening their literacy skills.

Through this approach, pupils at Eastern Green Junior School develop into confident writers who can communicate ideas clearly, creatively and effectively.

Writing Outcomes by Year Group

Writing skills are carefully developed across Key Stage 2 so that pupils build confidence, accuracy and independence as writers.

Year 3

In Year 3, pupils begin to develop greater control over sentence structure and organisation in their writing. They learn to:

organise ideas into short paragraphs
use conjunctions to extend sentences
begin to describe characters and settings in narrative writing
use expanded noun phrases to add detail
apply a range of punctuation including commas in lists and speech marks

Pupils are encouraged to experiment with vocabulary and begin to edit their work with support.

Year 4

In Year 4, pupils develop greater fluency and begin to write longer, more structured pieces. They learn to:

organise writing into clear paragraphs around a theme
develop characters, settings and plot in narratives
use fronted adverbials and a wider range of conjunctions
proofread their work to improve spelling, punctuation and grammar
write for a range of audiences and purposes

By the end of Year 4, pupils are developing greater independence in planning and improving their writing.

Year 5

In Year 5, pupils refine their writing skills and develop greater control over structure and vocabulary. They learn to:

write sustained pieces across a range of genres
use a wider range of cohesive devices to link ideas within and across paragraphs
describe characters, settings and atmosphere effectively
use dialogue to develop characters and move the action forward
carefully select vocabulary to enhance meaning and engage the reader

Pupils are encouraged to edit and improve their work independently, refining language choices and sentence structures.

Year 6

In Year 6, pupils consolidate their writing skills and demonstrate increasing maturity and control in their writing. They learn to:

write confidently for a range of purposes and audiences
use a wide range of sentence structures to create clarity and effect
control formal and informal language appropriately
organise writing effectively using paragraphs and structural devices
proofread and edit their work carefully to improve accuracy and impact

By the end of Year 6, pupils are able to produce sustained pieces of writing that demonstrate strong control of structure, grammar, vocabulary and punctuation, preparing them well for the expectations of secondary school.

Together, these approaches ensure that pupils develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to become thoughtful, expressive and effective writers.