English

The National Curriculum for English recognises that reading enables pupils to acquire knowledge and build upon what they already know. At Danetree, we place this relationship between reading and writing at the heart of our curriculum.

Through our Essential Writing Curriculum, children are exposed to a broad and carefully selected range of high-quality texts which provide rich models of language, vocabulary, sentence structures and the characteristics of different genres. These texts give children the knowledge and inspiration they need to become successful writers themselves.

We carefully select texts that reflect the diverse world in which our children live, ensuring that children encounter characters, families, cultures, communities and experiences that they can recognise and relate to, alongside perspectives and experiences that may be different from their own. In doing so, books become both mirrors and windows: enabling children to see themselves represented while developing their understanding of the wider world.

By immersing children in ambitious and engaging literature, we build the knowledge, vocabulary and language structures that underpin effective writing. Children learn not only how writers craft their work, but also why particular choices are made for different purposes and audiences.

This means that when children write, they are drawing upon a rich bank of knowledge and language. They are not simply completing a writing task; they are applying what they have encountered, making choices as writers and developing their own voice.

Our ultimate aim is for every child to become a confident, creative and purposeful writer — equipped with the technical knowledge, vocabulary and imagination to communicate their ideas effectively across a wide range of contexts.

Often seen as the building blocks for writing, grammar is an essential part of the English Curriculum. Weekly discrete grammar lessons support the children in their grammatical understanding whilst teaching ensures that these objectives are interwoven into the writing learning journey so that children are given the chance to embed new concepts without dampening creativity. During the skill building stage of our learning journey, children engage in a series of short-burst writing activities as these work as a vehicle through which children rehearse the grammatical structures taught in each lesson.  

For more information, click on this link.

Our Essential Writing Curriculum carefully connects reading and writing. Children become familiar with high-quality texts which provide models of vocabulary, grammatical structures, language and genre.

The final stage of the learning journey gives children the opportunity to draw on this knowledge to plan and draft their own writing. They apply the vocabulary, grammatical structures and creative ideas they have learnt and practised, before editing and publishing their work for a purposeful audience.

In this way, children learn not only how to write, but how to draw upon what they have read to become increasingly confident, creative and purposeful writers.

At Danetree, we believe that handwriting is an important skill that deserves to be taught explicitly, systematically and with care. From the very beginning of a child’s journey with us, we build the foundations that enable children to develop handwriting that is fluent, legible, confident and increasingly automatic.

In EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2, we use Letter Village to provide a clear, engaging and progressive approach to handwriting. From their earliest experiences of mark-making and letter formation, children are taught how to form letters correctly, developing the fine motor control, pencil control and muscle memory that underpin successful handwriting.

Letter Village provides children with a strong and consistent foundation across these important early years. Through regular, carefully sequenced practice, children develop increasing confidence, accuracy and fluency, establishing handwriting habits that will support them throughout their school journey.

As children move through Key Stage 1, they are carefully prepared for the next stage of their handwriting journey. Our approach is designed so that there is no abrupt change in expectations or approach. Instead, children move seamlessly from Letter Village into Nelson Handwriting, building upon the skills, habits and confidence they have already developed.

From first marks to fluent handwriting

This progression is an important part of our wider approach to teaching writing. We want children to reach the point where handwriting becomes automatic, allowing them to concentrate their mental energy on what really matters: communicating their ideas, choosing ambitious vocabulary and becoming successful writers.

Our handwriting journey develops:

• Accurate letter formation from the earliest stages

• Fine motor control and pencil control

• Consistency and fluency through regular practice

• Increasingly joined and connected handwriting as children are ready

• Legibility and presentation, so that children take pride in their work

• Automaticity, reducing the cognitive demand of handwriting as children become more fluent

• Confidence and pride in their written work

The progression from Letter Village to Nelson Handwriting is carefully considered so that each stage builds naturally on the last. Children are not simply learning how to make letters; they are developing a fluent and efficient writing style that will support them across the entire curriculum.

By the time our children move through school, we want handwriting to feel natural, confident and purposeful. From those first carefully formed letters in EYFS, through the development of fluency in Years 1 and 2, to increasingly fluent, joined handwriting in Key Stage 2, every stage has a clear purpose.

We are proud to nurture handwriting that children can be proud of- and skills that will stay with them for life!

Please check out this link for more information on Letter Village.

Please check out this link for more information on Nelson Handwriting.

Spelling is a fundamental literacy skill that enables children to develop strong writing skills as they grow. Difficulties with spelling can interfere with their ability to communicate effectively, causing confusion and ultimately obstructing the idea that they may be trying to convey through writing. It is essential, therefore, that we help children to cultivate the required spelling skills in order to ensure they become literate and articulate adults. 

At Danetree, we teach spelling through the Read, Write Inc programme, which is underpinned by phonics and covers the National curriculum requirements.

All classes are set spelling homework on a fortnightly basis, and most children will be set 10 words to learn. These words will be taken from the RWI unit of work they have just been taught; this allows them to practise and consolidate the new spelling rule. In addition to this, children will be given up to three words which are key vocabulary within their current curriculum subject. For example, a class studying ancient Rome may also be given, empire, Colosseum and aqueduct as these will be regularly used within their curriculum lessons. Children are tested fortnightly on these words through a ‘Chilli Challenge’ which they complete in their individual spelling books. This means the children have access to these words during writing lessons and, as a result, are able to incorporate them within their writing.

For more information, click on this link.

At Danetree, we believe that children become confident writers when they are given opportunities to write for real purposes, share their ideas and discover the power of words. While high-quality writing is explicitly taught in school, the support and encouragement children receive at home can make a huge difference.

Writing at home does not need to feel like formal schoolwork. There are countless opportunities for children to write as part of everyday life: writing shopping lists, making birthday cards, creating stories, keeping a diary, writing instructions for a game, sending a message to a family member, recording ideas, making posters or simply jotting down their thoughts.

Reading and writing are also closely connected. The more children read, the more they encounter rich vocabulary, different sentence structures, exciting ideas and a wide range of writing styles. Talking about books together, discussing new words and encouraging children to share their opinions all help to develop the language and ideas that underpin successful writing.

We encourage families to be curious about their children’s writing. Ask them about what they have written, celebrate their ideas and encourage them to explain their choices. Showing children that their words matter helps them to develop confidence and see themselves as authors and communicators.

Most importantly, we want children to understand that writing has purpose. It allows us to communicate, create, imagine, inform, persuade and express ourselves. When children experience writing as something meaningful and enjoyable both at school and at home, they develop the confidence, vocabulary and creativity to become increasingly successful writers.

Useful websites to support writing at home

1. Oxford Owl – Writing
   Excellent guidance for parents, with practical ideas for developing writing from Year 1 through Year 6. It particularly encourages real-life writing, storytelling, reading and talking as foundations for good writing. 

2. Pobble Home
   Great for children who need inspiration to get started. It provides picture prompts designed to spark conversation and writing, making it easy for families to write together at home. 

3. National Literacy Trust – Writing Resources
   A fantastic collection of literacy resources, including creative writing, writing for pleasure, composition, vocabulary, poetry and activities for families. 

4. BBC Bitesize – Primary English
   A familiar and accessible resource for children and families, with English activities and learning materials covering primary-age skills.

5. Pobble 365
   A particularly useful resource for encouraging children to write creatively. The daily picture stimulus can be used as a starting point for stories, descriptions, vocabulary work and imaginative writing.