Approach to Handwriting

What our handwriting looks like across Walkington Primary School:

EYFS

At 4 years old, children have not developed the muscles in hands/fingers that allow them to write properly with a pencil. Therefore, there is a primary focus on mark making in foundation. Children have the opportunity to mark-make with a range of different resources that are provided weekly by the class teacher. Each week, children take part in a ‘Dough disco.’ This allows children to work on their gross motor skills by moving their hands and fingers in a fun and engaging way.

Children will look at letters from the phonics session that has taken place that week. They will watch their class teacher write the letter and they will use fingers and different body parts to practice forming the letters. Children will write on whiteboards and lots of other different resources to the letter shapes that they have looked at.

KS1

  • Year 1

Children take part in daily writing during their phonic lessons, where adults model how to form letters correctly. Any letters that are formed incorrectly will be focused on in smaller group/1:1 tasks. Children follow a specific order when forming letters: curly caterpillars, long ladder letters, one-armed robot letters and zig-zag monsters.

Handwriting sheets are sent home as well as the tripod grip information sheet.

  • Year 2

In Year 2, children are taught to write in a joined style, gradually making the transition from printed handwriting to joined. Each child has a handwriting book for them to practice their letter formation; this is done every Friday morning for half an hour. Once children are gaining confidence in their letter formation, they begin to look at letters in the context of words. This is done through daily spelling and sentence practice.

KS2

In KS2, all children at Walkington Primary School will be given the opportunity to write using a pen. This can be for select pieces of work or final pieces. Children are often given the option to choose the writing implement that is best suited to the task in KS2.

  • Year 3/4

In Year 3 and 4, children take part in a 30 minute handwriting session each week. Children are given a handwriting book in order to practice their letter formations. Children will look at a letter and how to form that letter correctly, before looking at that particular letter within a word. If a child shows good progress, they are able to use a handwriting pen in their handwriting books as well as copying up completed work across other areas of the curriculum.

  • Year 5/6

In Year 5 and 6, children are expected to complete at least one piece of handwriting-focused work a week. In this lesson, children are expected to join. Children are not expected to join their handwriting all the time (some do prefer to still print), therefore it is important to have a specific focus on this each week. Children have lots of opportunities to use a handwriting pen in Year 5/6; this can be in any subject across the curriculum. Children will often do a first draft piece of writing in pencil, which will then be copied up in pen. This allows children to focus firstly on the content of their work and then on their presentation.

“Pupils behave well and are polite, articulate and respectful.”

Ofsted comments

“The broad curriculum provides a wide range of enriching experiences for pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“Effective safeguarding procedures are in place. All staff have a clear understanding of how to keep pupils safe.”

Ofsted comments

“The quality of teaching at Walkington Primary is underpinned by warm and caring
relationships between staff and pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“Exciting activities, such as visits to places of worship, generate high levels of
interest and curiosity about the themes that pupils are studying.”

Ofsted comments

“Pupils listen to the opinions of others and are keen to offer their views considerately and respectfully.”

Ofsted comments

“Governors are ambitious for the school. They challenge and support leaders effectively.”

Ofsted comments

“Learning in early years gets off to a good start. As a result of effective teaching and provision, children progress well from their starting points.”

Ofsted comments

“The passionate and effective leadership of senior leaders and the commitment of the staff have sustained the good quality of education at the school.”

Ofsted comments

“The school is a calm, orderly and purposeful place for pupils to make the most of their learning.”

Ofsted comments

“Adults give pupils
opportunities to share ideas and challenge their own thinking and this helps them to articulate their opinions with confidence.”

Ofsted comments

“The school’s welcoming and caring ethos is central to its work in raising standards for
pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“From the moment pupils enter the school each day, they are greeted with respect and a genuine sense of care from the adults in the building.”

Ofsted comments

“The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.”

Ofsted comments

“By the end of Year 6, outcomes are high in reading and writing. In reading, they are
particularly high.”

Ofsted comments

“In all key stages, pupils are now making good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.”

Ofsted comments

“Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan interesting tasks that engage
pupils.”

Ofsted comments

“The profile of sport has been raised and more pupils now compete in sporting
activities.”

Ofsted comments

“The teaching of reading is good. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of
phonics.”

Ofsted comments

“In mathematics lessons, resources are used well to enable pupils to visualise abstract ideas and to get a more secure understanding of number.”

Ofsted comments

“Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and
are clear about priorities and plans for improvement.”

Ofsted comments

“Leaders are well trained and use their knowledge of special educational needs to identify specific requirements at an early stage and provide timely support.”

Ofsted comments

“Improvements in the teaching of mathematics have helped to increase pupils’ progress and improve pupils’ ability to solve mathematical
problems.”

Ofsted comments

“Good teaching through early years and in key stage 1 ensures that the proportion of pupils passing the Year 1 phonics screening check is consistently above average.”

Ofsted comments

“Older pupils develop a good understanding of what they read. Leaders promote a love of reading and pupils say the school provides them with high-quality texts.”

Ofsted comments

“Parents and carers who offered their views to inspectors were overwhelmingly positive about the experiences of their children.”

Ofsted comments

“Staff encourage pupils to be resilient and take risks. Pupils know it is all right to get things wrong and that this is part of the process of learning.”

Ofsted comments

“Staff welcome the professional development they receive and say that this makes a real difference to the quality of their teaching.”

Ofsted comments

“Teachers plan interesting activities that motivate the pupils. Staff ensure that all pupils are valued and included in learning.”

Ofsted comments