Writing

Intent

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak, listen, read and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and so others can communicate with them. Through our English curriculum, pupils have a chance to develop their knowledge, build cultural capital, increase love for learning and develop their character. They are exposed to a range of texts enabling pupils to acquire new knowledge and to build on what they already know. Our aim is to teach pupils to speak fluently and listen intently so that they can communicate clearly and develop their understanding. We aim to inspire pupils to gain pleasure and develop confidence within their English skills, wherever possible for genuine purposes and real audiences. We believe all the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised. 

At Swindon Academy books play a vital part in our curriculum across all the key stages Our writing curriculum is based on a book each term and writing opportunities are linked to the texts. English is taught through separate reading and writing lessons and children are encouraged to read and write across the widder curriculum making English prominent in all subjects. 

Implementation 

• Each year group follows a sequenced curriculum map that outlines units across the year, ensuring full coverage of National Curriculum objectives. 

• Each unit is built around rich, age-appropriate core texts that act as a model or a stimulus for excellent writing. 

• Units follow a consistent structure, typically including immersion in the text, vocabulary development, grammar instruction, modelled/shared writing, independent writing, and editing. 

• Genres are revisited and developed year-on-year, with a clear progression of grammatical, structural, and stylistic expectations. 

• Grammar objectives are embedded within writing units, allowing pupils to learn and apply grammar skills meaningfully in their writing. 

• Teachers use model texts and shared writing to explicitly demonstrate writing techniques, structures, and language choices. 

• Pupils are explicitly taught how to revise and improve their writing through guided editing sessions and peer feedback. 

• Ongoing formative assessment, including pupil conferencing and deep marking informs planning and supports targeted intervention. 

• Teachers are provided with regular training and support materials, including planning guidance, exemplar texts and ongoing professional development.  

• Scaffolded materials and flexible planning allow teachers to tailor lessons for SEND and EAL pupils while maintaining curriculum ambition. 

• Opportunities are created for pupils to apply writing skills across the curriculum in subjects such such as science, history, and geography, reinforcing purpose and audience. 

Impact 

• Pupils demonstrate stronger writing skills, with clear progression in sentence structure, vocabulary, grammar, and cohesion across year groups resulting in improved writing outcomes. 

• The curriculum builds systematically from year to year, ensuring pupils revisit and deepen key writing techniques, genres, and grammatical concepts. 

• Use of carefully selected high-quality core texts inspires and models rich vocabulary, sentence variety, and literary techniques, enhancing pupils’ writing. 

• Well-planned units and professional development resources boost teacher subject knowledge and confidence in delivering effective writing instruction. 

• Pupils learn to tailor their writing for different audiences and purposes, improving engagement and relevance of their writing tasks. 

• Children develop habits of self-improvement in writing through structured opportunities to edit, revise, and refine their work. 

• Writing tasks are often linked to wider curriculum areas (e.g. history, science), deepening understanding and giving real-world context. 

• Differentiated scaffolds, models, and vocabulary support ensure accessibility for pupils with varying levels of ability and need. 

• The use of meaningful and creative writing opportunities increases pupil motivation and enjoyment of writing.