Writing Intent Statement

At Westover we strive to help all of our children develop into articulate and imaginative communicators, who are well-equipped with the basic skills they need to become life-long learners.

We focus on the building blocks of writing:  secure phonological awareness, taught in a systematic way; a focus on handwriting and good presentation skills; the importance of the writing cycle: plan, draft, edit and publish; articulation of ideas before writing with priority given to broadening vocabulary; grammar, spelling and punctuation being applied with accuracy. 

We aim for our children to develop a love of language and the written word, through a high quality, text-based approach. Reading and writing is inextricably linked and we guide our children’s reading to influence their writing and increase their joy in writing.  Opportunities are designed to write for a real purpose and in response to experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. We ensure that children develop an understanding of how widely writing is used in everyday life and, therefore, how important and useful the skills are that they are learning.

We have high ambitions for all of our children. Our goal is to ensure that all children, regardless of their starting points, aim for the highest standards in writing and reach their full potential. We want to provide them with the skills necessary to be successful writers and to prepare them for their secondary education.