When I read great literature, great drama, speeches, or sermons, I feel that the human mind has not achieved anything greater than the ability to share feelings and thoughts through language.

James Earl Jones

St Mary’s: Our Vision for Writing

At St Mary’s, we recognize that writing is a central pillar of both education and society. A high-quality writing curriculum is a tool for empowerment, enabling our pupils to express themselves clearly, creatively and with confidence. Rooted in our mission to help every child discover their God-given potential, we aim for every pupil to secure the transcription and composition skills necessary to communicate with sophistication as they move through school and beyond.

Intent: Our Vision for Writing

Our curriculum is ambitious, cohesive and systematic, designed to ensure that writing becomes a fluid, natural extension of a child’s thought process. Informed by cognitive neuroscience, our intent is for all pupils to:

  • Build Secure Foundations: Master essential knowledge of spelling, handwriting and grammar to unlock creative freedom, irrespective of their starting point.

  • Ensure Cumulative Progression: Follow a meticulously sequenced pathway from EYFS to Key Stage 2, enabling children to know more, remember more and apply more.

  • Leverage Evidence-Led Practice: Utilize Cognitive Load Theory and principles of explicit instruction to ensure knowledge is built securely and retained long-term.

  • Foster Lifelong Communicators: Cultivate a genuine love for language through exposure to high-quality literature and purposeful, real-world outcomes.

Implementation: How We Teach

We deliver writing through the CUSP Writing Curriculum, an evidence-informed approach that places high-quality literature and explicit vocabulary instruction at the heart of learning.

Early Years: The “Over and Over” Foundation

In EYFS, we foster a love of reading and writing from the very start. Our unique ‘Over and Over’ approach ensures children engage repeatedly with ten high-quality core texts each half-term. This repetition allows children to:

  • Internalize complex language patterns and “Tier 2” vocabulary.

  • Retell stories with confidence and oracy.

  • Apply phonics knowledge across meaningful contexts, from letters to information reports.

Thinking Like Authors in KS1 & KS2

Disciplinary skills are woven into our daily practice. We encourage pupils to:

  • Analyze and Deconstruct: Exploring “Core Texts” within the CUSP framework to understand how professional authors use language and structure to impact the reader.

  • Model and Rehearse: Engaging in guided practice and generative learning tasks that build stamina and technical accuracy.

  • Manipulate for Effect: Using Alan Peat Sentence Types across all year groups to purposefully vary sentence structure and move toward sophisticated authorial craft.

Securing Foundational Skills

We believe that creative flair is unlocked only when foundational skills are automatic. By utilizing Principles of Instruction, we give sustained attention to the “mechanics” of writing to ensure every child has the stamina to succeed.

Focus Area Strategy & Approach
Transcription & Phonics A cumulative approach where phonics knowledge is applied immediately to independent and supported writing tasks.
Vocabulary Architecture Explicit instruction of “Tier 2” and “Tier 3” words to bridge the word gap and elevate pupil expression.
Grammatical Precision Integration of Alan Peat Sentence Types to help pupils transfer technical knowledge into expressive, purposeful prose.
Cognitive Load Management Carefully sequenced lessons that break down complex composition into manageable, secure steps.

Impact: Our Outcomes

Through our rigorous and inspiring curriculum, pupils at St Mary’s develop into articulate, capable and imaginative communicators.

  • Confident Communicators: Our pupils graduate with the ability to adapt their writing style for any audience or purpose, becoming lifelong writers.

  • Technically Proficient Writers: Students possess the conceptual fluency and transcriptional accuracy to succeed across the secondary curriculum and beyond.

  • Creative Thinkers: Through our focus on authorial craft, pupils can manipulate language to express complex ideas and deep emotions.

  • Empowered Individuals: Our children leave St Mary’s with the “voice” they need to share their light, influence the world and fulfill their unique potential.

Our commitment to high-quality Writing ensures that every child understands that through the written word, they have the power to share their story and change their world.