Writing
Writing is a crucial part of the curriculum at St Joseph’s. Our core objectives are to foster a love of writing, and for pupils to be able to express their thoughts and ideas with clarity and creativity. Staff are intent on promoting writing for pleasure, and seek to deliver relevant, engaging units to help stimulate children's authorship and flair. With the assistance of high-quality reading texts, we aim to embed rich vocabulary throughout all areas of the curriculum. We place emphasis on self-efficacy, creating writers who can re-read, edit and improve their own writing, and confidently use the essential skills of grammar, punctuation and spelling. All staff set clear, high standards, and explicitly teach a fluent, cursive handwriting style which will allow their imaginations to flourish.
At St Joseph's, we follow a structure that is rooted in the Talk for Writing programme. Each unit is divided into three stages, which are outlined below:
Imitate
Children are exposed to an age-specific model text which will form the basis of the upcoming unit. This model text will be based on their Key Text from the term. Through oral rehearsal and actions, the text is then recited with the intention of internalising language and sentence structure. In each unit, two grammar objectives will be explored, along with two 'toolkit' objectives. These are the aspects of writing that we use to enhance meaning and create flair. Each child will become accustomed to the text by reading as a writer and analysing the features used, before practising these themselves in different contexts.
Innovation
Once the core text has been internalised, children will be given the opportunity to innovate and adapt the original content. This might involve, but is not limited to, substitution, addition, alteration or a change of viewpoint. Much of this is guided and scaffolded by teachers in order to prepare them for the final stage of the process, and it is an opportunity for children to put a lot of their grammar and toolkit objectives into practice.
Independent Application
The final stage gives pupils the agency to compose their own independent piece. With their prior knowledge of the core text, combined with guided innovation, children should be equipped with the necessary tools to create an independent composition that will inform teacher assessment.
Our Writing Curriculum in Action!
As a school, we are committed to ensuring our writing units are immersive as we believe engagement is the key to imagination.
FS2 have loved learning, writing and recreating some of their well-loved stories. Can you recognise some of their favourites?
Year 1 became chefs as part of their hook into 'The Disgusting Sandwich'!
Year 2 made gingerbread houses when learning all about 'Hansel and Gretel'.
After reading 'Owen and the Solider', Year 4 felt inspired to hold their own protest within school to stop the council from removing Owen's beloved statue. They used their persuasive techniques to spread the word!
Year 6 have been using AI to generate images of their magical setting descriptions. What do you think you would find hidden within these mysterious shops?
Transcription
As a school, we have been focusing on transcription throughout 2025, ensuring that our letters are formed correctly and that our sentences are punctuated accurately. As part of this, we have been holding targeted interventions across KS1 and KS2 to ensure that all pupils are equipped with the necessary skills that allow them to access the rest of the writing curriculum.
Below is an example of a targeted two-week unit that supports children by focusing solely on dictated sentences.
Here are some of our proud writers who have come to show their work to Miss Milnes and Mrs Williams after trying so hard in improving their letter formation. Look at those cheesy grins!
Progression and Curriculum Documents
Click to explore each year group's writing curriculum for the current academic year.