Writing as Sarisbury Infant School

At Sarisbury Infant School, we believe that every child is a writer. Our writing curriculum is built on the principle that strong communication begins long before pen meets paper. We are committed to nurturing confident writers through a carefully crafted approach that prioritises early developmental foundations, meaningful experiences and rich language.

Early Foundations: Mark‑Making, Gross and Fine Motor Skills

We recognise that early writing begins with purposeful mark‑making. In EYFS and beyond, children are immersed in opportunities to explore marks, patterns and shapes. We develop the physical foundations of writing through a curriculum that carefully strengthens gross motor control, core stability, fine motor precision, pencil grip and hand strength, enabling children to write with fluency and stamina as they progress through school.

Language at the Heart

We believe that children must speak well to write well. Oracy is central to all writing learning: children rehearse ideas aloud, build vocabulary through meaningful talk, and internalise language patterns that support the craft of writing. Through structured sentence stems, storytelling, drama, discussion and oral rehearsal, pupils develop the confidence to express their ideas clearly before writing them down.

Handwriting and Transcription

We promote handwriting that is fluent, legible and consistent. Children are supported through a systematic handwriting programme that builds accuracy and stamina, enabling them to focus on composition rather than mechanics. Spelling and phonics knowledge are applied purposefully within authentic writing tasks.

Quality Texts and Memorable Experiences

We know that children write best when they have something worth writing about. Our curriculum is driven by high‑quality, diverse texts that expose pupils to rich vocabulary and a wide range of genres. Alongside this, pupils experience memorable, purposeful learning opportunities—so they write with authenticity, enthusiasm and meaning.

Explicit Teaching and Clear Progression

Our writing curriculum is carefully sequenced from EYFS to Year 2 to ensure children build knowledge and skills gradually and securely. Sentence stems and scaffolds model high‑quality language structures while enabling pupils to gain independence over time. Grammar, vocabulary and transcription skills are taught explicitly and applied meaningfully within real writing contexts. Clear progression in writing—from mark‑making, to simple sentences, to crafted short texts—ensures every child moves forward confidently.

Handwriting 

Our handwriting scheme is linked to our Phonics Programme (Junior Learning Letters and Sounds). Children are taught to form letters alongside the sounds they are learning as well as letter families in Early Years. In KS1 children continue to have regular handwriting lessons. 2. Alongside teaching letter formation, we focus on developing children's fine and gross motor skills because having strong motor skills will enable our children to write with confidence, flair and comfort.