Approaches to Writing

To encourage the emergence of competent writers, a range of opportunities and provisions for phonics, spelling and writing are made.

Intent

At St Joseph’s Infant School, high-quality texts are at the heart of our writing curriculum. We believe that rich literature inspires children to become confident, creative writers. From the very start of their learning journey, we use the Drawing Club approach in EYFS and into Year 1, which blends storytelling, drawing, and vocabulary development in a playful and imaginative way.

As children progress through Year 1 and Year 2, we introduce techniques such as choppy sentences to support sentence fluency and structure, helping pupils to build the foundational blocks of writing: vocabulary, grammar, sentence construction, and paragraphing. Grammar is taught in context, allowing children to apply their knowledge meaningfully within their writing. These skills are continually revisited and strengthened through purposeful practice.

We adopt a mastery approach to writing, which supports deeper vocabulary development and ensures that all learning aligns with the objectives of the National Curriculum. Our sequences of learning break the writing process into manageable, explicitly taught steps. This enables children to practise key skills in varied contexts and provides opportunities for extended writing.

Planning and revision are taught explicitly at age-appropriate levels, helping pupils to understand and take ownership of the writing process. This approach nurtures metacognitive skills, empowering children to reflect on and improve their work independently. From simple letter corrections in EYFS to editing longer pieces in Year 2, children are encouraged to make meaningful edits throughout their time with us—preparing them well for the next stage of their education.