Writing
Writing at Christ Church Federation
At Christ Church, we believe in empowering our students to become independent writers who can assess, revise, and enhance their own work. We are committed to enhancing their grammar, punctuation, and spelling abilities, ensuring they are equipped with essential writing skills that will benefit them throughout their academic journey and beyond. We aim for all children to see themselves as writers and in some instances as potential authors of the future.
Throughout your child’s journey at Christ Church they will have the opportunity to explore different writing genres such as narratives, persuasive writing, poetry, and recounts. By introducing them to a diverse range of writing styles, we aim to spark their creativity, expand their vocabulary, and improve their sentence structure and grammar skills. Children will have the opportunity to write for a range of purposes; to inform and entertain and to write for a range of audiences.
We place a strong emphasis on encouraging our pupils to take pride in their work. We aim for our students to develop a fluent and elegant cursive handwriting style, which complements their imaginative and creative writing abilities. By setting high expectations, we instil a sense of confidence in our pupils, allowing their creativity to flourish and their unique voices to be heard through their writing. we are committed to nurturing a genuine love for writing amongst our students. We believe that fostering a passion for writing not only enhances their creativity and self-expression but also prepares them for success in their academic journey and beyond.
Through a structured and engaging curriculum, we aim to equip our students with the necessary skills and knowledge to not only excel in writing but to also make significant progress in other curriculum areas.
Handwriting
At Christ Church we teach a cursive writing style, this is a style where letters are joined together in a continuous flow. By introducing cursive formation in Key Stage 1, we pave the way for a seamless progression to joined handwriting in Key Stage 2. The ability to write in cursive not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of written work but also promotes speed and fluency in writing.
It is important to note that children at Christ Church engage in daily handwriting practice as part of their English lessons. This daily reinforcement of correct letter formations plays a crucial role in embedding good handwriting habits as they progress through their educational journey.
How Curriculum Enrichment Impacts on Writing
Year 6 parliament visit, was a unique opportunity to explore the workings of the UK Parliament and gain valuable insights into our democracy. This visit deepened the children’s understanding of how laws are made and implemented in our country and produced some fantastic writing.
A group of year 5 pupils had the exclusive chance to visit Downing Street, offering them a glimpse into the heart of UK politics and governance. This trip was designed to broaden their perspectives and encourage them to engage with current affairs. The standard of writing produced by the children in relation to this experience was
Year 3 to 6 enjoyed a theatre visit to watch the captivating production of The Boy at the Back of the Class.
As part of our Key Stage 2 author visits, we were thrilled to host esteemed writers Stone Roses and Onjali Q Rauf. These visits will provide our students with the opportunity to engage with authors, ask questions, and develop a deeper appreciation for literature and storytelling.
In addition our Key Stage 2 students have the pleasure of visiting Wolverhampton Grammar for author visits featuring renowned writers such as Julia Donaldson and Cressida Cowell. These visits aim to inspire a love for reading and writing, nurturing our students' creativity and literary skills.
We believe that these enrichment opportunities will not only complement our curriculum but also enrich our students' educational journey, providing them with valuable experiences beyond the classroom.
West End in Schools Theatre Company came to visit KS1 as part of the World Book Day celebrations. The children were able to take part in a dance/theatre production of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. This immersive experience engaged all children and was a fantastic inspirational way to get children engaged and inspired to create their own work based on the text.
The Impact of Enrichment on Writing
Following an invitation to 10 Downing Street, the Year 5 students at our school took the opportunity to write letters to the Prime Minister and his wife, expressing their views on how government funding should be allocated to enhance education for children in the UK.
Letter by Grace Y5
Following our exciting year 6 visit to London, the children were tasked with writing recounts of the day's events from the perspective of the beloved character Paddington Bear. The experience of visiting Parliament was truly inspiring for our students. It provided them with a real-life context to apply their learning and sparked their curiosity about the workings of democracy and politics in our country.
Recount by Elijah Y6
Year 2 Writing
