Writing is not just an option for young people – it is a 
necessity. Along with reading comprehension, writing 
skill is a predictor of academic success and the basic 
requirement for participation in life and the global 
economy. All students need to become proficient and 
flexible writers. (Graham and Perin 2007) 

Intent

At the Whiteoak Academies, we believe that writing is a vital tool for communication, creativity and critical thinking. Our writing curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils become confident, fluent and purposeful writers who can express themselves effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes using a range of genres. We aim for pupils to:

• Develop strong transcriptional skills (in spelling and handwriting) to support fluent composition.
• Acquire a rich vocabulary.
• Develop a secure understanding of grammar and sentence structure.
• Write with increasing independence, creativity and control.
• Understand the purpose and audience of their writing and adapt their style accordingly.
• Build stamina and resilience in writing through regular practice and reflection.

Our curriculum is underpinned by the belief that writing, while complex, is a craft that can be taught, practised, and refined. It is structured around a clear progression of skills from EYFS to Year 6, with each year group building on the knowledge and techniques taught previously. This progression can be found in the Lighthouse Schools Partnership Primary Writing Progression below, along with the writing lesson sequence that is used as a blueprint for all of our writing units. This document brings together key documentation to support the planning and teaching of writing in our schools. The agreed progression and pedagogy it contains, align fully with the key recommendations of the 2025 Writing Framework. 

Implementation

Writing is taught through a combination of discrete lessons and cross-curricular opportunities, with a strong emphasis on oral rehearsal, modelling, and purposeful outcomes. To ensure that our English curriculum is organised to give pupils enough time to develop component writing skills, we have adjusted the time and focus of our curriculum to match their stage of writing. For this reason, we have separated our pedagogy into 'Early writing' and 'Writing in Year 2 and beyond'. 

Key features of our implementation include:

• Explicit teaching of transcription and composition: Pupils receive direct instruction in spelling, handwriting, grammar and sentence construction, alongside opportunities to apply these skills in extended writing.

• Modelled, shared, and guided writing: Teachers use the “I do, we do, you do” approach to scaffold learning and gradually release responsibility to pupils.

• Progressive genre coverage: Each year group is exposed to a range of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry genres, with increasing complexity and sophistication.

• Purposeful outcomes: Units of work are designed to culminate in a meaningful written product, such as a letter, report, story, or persuasive text, often linked to wider curriculum themes.

• Assessment for learning: Teachers use formative assessment strategies including retrieval, feedback and exit tickets, to inform next steps and ensure all pupils make progress.

• Adaptation: Writing sequences and tasks are carefully scaffolded to ensure accessibility for all learners, with adaptations made to support individual needs.

Impact

By the end of each key stage, Whiteoak pupils will:

• Write with confidence, fluency and purpose across a range of genres.

• Demonstrate secure knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and spelling appropriate to their age.

• Use writing as a tool to express ideas, explore thinking and communicate effectively.

• Reflect on and improve their writing through editing and redrafting.

• Take pride in their written work and understand its value in both academic and real-world contexts.