Writing at Wychbold First and Nursery School

At Wychbold, we have based our approach on "The Write Stuff" by Jane Considine to bring clarity to the mechanics of writing.  "The Write Stuff" follows a method called "Sentence Stacking" which refers to the fact that sentences are stacked together chronologically and organised to engage children with short, intensive moments of learning that they can then immediately apply to their own writing. 

An individual lesson is based on a sentence model, broken in to 3 learning chunks. Each learning chunk has three sections:

1. Initiate section – a stimulus to capture the children’s imagination and set up a sentence
2. Model section – the teacher close models a sentence that outlines clear writing features and techniques.
3. Enable section – the children write their sentence, following the model.

Challenging our writers

Children are challenged to ‘Deepen the Moment’ which requires them to independently draw upon previously learnt skills and apply them to their writing during that chunk.

"The Write Stuff"  uses three essential components to support children in becoming great writers

The three zones of writing :-

• IDEAS -  The FANTASTICs uses a child-friendly acronym to represent the nine idea lenses through which children can craft their ideas.
• TOOLS - The GRAMMARISTICs. The grammar rules of our language system and an accessible way to target weaknesses in pupils grammatical and linguistic structures.
• TECHNIQUES - The BOOMTASTICs which helps children capture 10 ways of adding drama and poetic devices to writing in a vivid visual.                                                                          

Handwriting and Spelling

At Wychbold First and Nursery School, we believe that strong writing skills begin with strong foundations. Our handwriting journey starts in the Early Years, where children develop the physical skills needed for writing through a range of engaging activities that promote fine motor control, pencil grip and pre-writing shapes.

As children become ready to write, we teach correct letter formation through our Read Write Inc. (RWI) programme, supported by RWI Letter Village resources, which provide regular, structured opportunities to practise and refine handwriting skills. This consistent approach helps children develop confidence, fluency and pride in their presentation from the very beginning of their writing journey.

As pupils move through Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2, handwriting teaching continues to build progressively. From Year 2 to Year 4, children follow the Nelson Handwriting Scheme, which supports the development of joined handwriting, increased fluency and a clear, legible style. Through regular practice, pupils learn to write with greater accuracy, speed and confidence.

Alongside handwriting, we place a strong emphasis on spelling and grammar. In Reception and Key Stage 1, children develop their spelling knowledge through the Read Write Inc. Spelling programme, which builds on their phonics learning and teaches key spelling patterns and rules. In Years 3 and 4, pupils continue to develop their spelling, punctuation and grammar skills through the Grammarsaurus curriculum, ensuring a clear progression in their understanding and application of English.

By providing a structured and progressive approach to handwriting, spelling and writing, we aim to develop confident communicators who can express their ideas clearly, accurately and creatively.