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Barnfields Primary School

WRITING

Subject Leader: Mrs Turton

Writing Intent

At Barnfields Primary School, our intention is to excite, engage and inspire pupils through a carefully sequenced, progressive writing curriculum that equips them with the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed to become confident communicators and lifelong learners.

We believe that strong writing begins with secure sentence construction, underpinned by a deep engagement with reading and language. Through immersion in high-quality literature, pupils develop a rich vocabulary, a strong sense of audience and purpose and the confidence to explore and express their ideas. Our literature-led approach fosters a love of reading while providing pupils with powerful models of language that inform and strengthen their writing.

Writing at Barnfields is taught as a cumulative process. Pupils continually build and refine their knowledge of grammar, sentence structure and composition, enabling them to communicate effectively for a wide range of purposes. Through regular opportunities to reflect on their own writing and that of others, pupils develop confidence and pride in their work, demonstrating both enjoyment and ambition as writers.

 

Our Writing Approach at Barnfields


Writing at Barnfields is taught through carefully structured units that combine rich exposure to high-quality texts with explicit teaching of sentence construction, grammar and composition. Each unit is deliberately designed to build cumulatively towards confident, independent writing and to ensure pupils develop secure knowledge and understanding of how effective writing works.

Across each unit, pupils are supported to develop the following: 

  • Awareness of Audience, Purpose and Structure

Pupils study carefully selected model texts and exemplars to explore how writing is shaped by its purpose and intended audience, including the use of structure, vocabulary and grammatical features. Through close reading and discussion, pupils internalise what effective writing looks like, enabling them to draw upon these features when crafting their own writing.

  • Modelling and Supported Practice

Teachers explicitly model the writing process, including planning, drafting, sentence construction, vocabulary selection and editing. Dictated, shared and guided writing opportunities allow pupils to rehearse and apply new skills with appropriate support before transitioning to independent writing.

  • Planning and Scaffolding

Teachers strategically pre-plan key vocabulary, paragraph structures and grammatical features to ensure learning is purposeful and progressive. Pupils use age-appropriate planning tools, sentence stems and frameworks that support organisation and idea development. Scaffolding is carefully reduced over time to build independence and confidence.

  • Sentence-Level Focus

Lessons place a strong emphasis on sentence construction, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. Through deliberate practice, repetition and precise feedback, pupils develop the ability to write accurate, varied and well-crafted sentences, forming a secure foundation for coherent and effective extended writing.

The Writing Process at Barnfields 


Writing at Barnfields is taught through a three-phase, carefully sequenced process that builds towards a high-quality independent final piece. 

Phase 1: Sentence Construction and Grammar 

At the beginning of each unit, pupils are introduced to the writing stimulus, along with the audience and purpose for the writing. The writing stimulus has been carefully selected to align with the grammar focus and support its intended audience and purpose. Pupils develop secure control of sentence construction, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary through explicit teaching linked to the Barnfields Writing Progression Documents. They practise through guided activities such as error correction, dictation and sentence manipulation, before moving to less scaffolded tasks including sentence combining and sentence expansion. Teaching focuses on a small number of sentence-level features at a time to ensure accuracy and automaticity. 

Phase 2: Developing Discourse Knowledge 

Pupils apply sentence-level knowledge within the context of a whole text. Teachers use a carefully constructed exemplar to demonstrate how writers make deliberate choices for audience and purpose through structure, language and authorial choices. Pupils analyse and innovate on sentences in a controlled way, developing an understanding of how sentences combine to create cohesive, purposeful writing. 

Phase 3: Independent Writing and Refinement 

Pupils plan, draft and revise an independent piece of writing, drawing on the sentence and discourse knowledge they have secured. Editing is integral, with pupils refining their work for accuracy, clarity, and impact. This phase enables pupils to consolidate learning and demonstrate confident, independent writing.