Writing at Hill Mead

At Hill Mead, children develop as writers through a rich selection of high-quality books, which are drawn from the Literacy Tree. These texts provide strong models of language and structure, giving pupils meaningful starting points for their writing. Each year group works with a core text every half term, allowing writing skills to build steadily from Early Years to Year 6.

Pupils write for a wide range of authentic purposes across the year. They create stories, reports, letters, explanations and persuasive pieces linked to real experiences and classroom learning. This helps children understand how writing can communicate ideas, influence others and share information.

Speaking and drama activities play an important role in preparing children to write. Through discussion, role-play and oral rehearsal, pupils explore characters, deepen understanding and develop vocabulary before beginning their written work. 

Handwriting

Handwriting is taught regularly and systematically using structured activities from Letter-Join. Children learn how to form letters accurately, develop control and build a fluent, legible style that they can use confidently in all subjects.

As pupils move through the school, we support them to write neatly, consistently and at an appropriate speed. Our aim is for every child to develop handwriting that is both efficient and easy to read, enabling them to focus on the content of their writing.

Grammar

Grammar is taught through the context of the class text, allowing pupils to see how authors use grammatical choices to shape meaning. Skills are introduced at the point where they are most relevant, helping children apply them directly in their own writing.

Throughout each unit, pupils explore how grammar supports clarity, cohesion and impact. This approach ensures that grammar is not taught in isolation but becomes a natural part of the writing process.

Spelling

Children receive weekly spelling words and complete a spelling check every Friday. Spellings are taught explicitly, and pupils are encouraged to revisit them at home to help secure the meaning of the words and recall.

Any child who needs additional support receives targeted intervention, either one-to-one or in small groups, to strengthen key spelling patterns and strategies. We expect pupils to use the spellings they have learned in their independent writing.

All pupils in Key Stage 2 complete a termly 40-word spelling assessment, which helps us identify gaps, plan interventions and organise support groups effectively.

For children in KS2, we mark their spelling achievements with a Spelling Bee. Pupils first compete in rounds within their own class, and the top spellers then go forward to a whole‑school final. Families are invited to join us for this celebration of spelling confidence and success.