At St Cuthbert's, all children are exposed to high quality texts, which stimulate positive responses to reading, high quality writing, and purposeful opportunities for Speaking & Listening.
Our writing curriculum ensures that all children have many opportunities to write for different purposes. We encourage writing through all curriculum areas and use quality reading texts to model examples of good writing, through The Power of Reading and via The Literacy Shed. We also use some Talk for Writing techniques.
We also recognise that children need lots of rich speaking and drama activities, to support their imagination and give them experiences that will equip them to become good writers.
Grammar
Throughout school, grammar and punctuation is taught to match the writing purpose. This begins with teaching and consolidating basic sentence structures in Early years and Key Stage One.
In Key stage Two, children further develop their understanding of increasingly complex sentence structures, and using the relevant technical terms to be able to discuss and justify the choices they have made when structuring their ideas.
Handwriting
Handwriting is very important at St Cuthbert's, and children are taught to write in a neat, legible style, from their earliest days in school, and using a cursive script from Year One onwards.
Handwriting sessions are timetabled, with the focus on correct pencil grip; forming all letters correctly by knowing the size and orientation of each letter; using the correct handwriting joins; clear and neat presentation and increasing fluency and speed of writing.
Below is a document showing each of the letters formed correctly along with the spoken patter we use when teaching the children.
/cumbria/primary/stcuth-wig/arenas/websitecontent/web/stcuthbertshandwriting_20240423112458968.pdf
Spelling
At St. Cuthbert's, we have devised our own whole-school spelling scheme.
Children are taught spellings, which are and tested weekly throughout KS1 and KS2 and children's progress in spelling is tracked carefully as they move through school, so that any gaps in spelling can be identified and quickly addressed.
Children also regularly use dictionaries and thesaurus to check and improve their work.
Long Term Plans
Inclusive Practice
We endeavour to ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school activities. We help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have. In order to ensure this happens across the full curriculum we:
- Prioritise Quality First Teaching, adapted, to help children with identified needs access their learning. This is regularly monitored and continually developed.
- Ensure that teaching staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is more appropriate to their needs.
- Work in partnership with parents/ carers, pupils and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s special educational needs and disabilities.
- To make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
- Ensure that all children with SEND are fully included in all activities of the school in order to promote the highest levels of achievement.
- Promote self-worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability
- Ensure that enrichment opportunities stimulate and motivate learning.
- Utilise specialist group support from outside agencies e.g. Speech and Language Therapy
- Give every child the entitlement to a sense of achievement.