Limes Farm Infant School and Nursery

Writing  

We believe all children should leave Limes Farm Infant School as confident, skilled writers who can use written language in both practical and creative ways. We immerse the children in exciting, high quality texts texts, advanced vocabulary and specific writing skills. The teachers at our school use a range of strategies to help develop every child's love of language, such as discussion, debate, role-play, drama and real-life experiences. These skills are then applied in cross curricular learning opportunities. We use a wide range of multi-cultural literature , to develop the self-esteem of all children and an understanding and respect for all cultures alongside their own. Language and literacy specific teaching and learning takes place within a whole class setting daily through shared/modelled writing each day.  

Speaking and Listening

Speaking and listening forms a key element of the teaching sequence for writing and is incorporated throughout the teaching phases.

Other strategies include:

  • Adults model language alongside the children’s play
  • Use of learning partners to develop ideas
  • Stem sentences and sentence starters e.g. “I think…is the same as …. because”
  • Drama sessions and role play areas
  • Oral Storytelling using props and small world play
  • Language and Word Games
  • Chanting, Rhymes and Songs
  • A specific focus on developing vocabulary

Developing writing skills

Writing is closely related to reading, with the two activities reinforcing each other. We aim to develop a positive attitude to writing and to extend the children’s abilities to express their thoughts and ideas on paper, thus enabling them to communicate clearly through the written word. We use core texts that link to the topic in order for children to experience the link between reading and writing.

 To enable children to develop as effective writers we will teach them to:

  • Write for a range of purposes and genres
  • Plan, draft, revise and edit their own writing
  • Organise and structure sentences grammatically and whole texts coherently
  • Use accurate punctuation and spelling
  • Have fluent and legible handwriting.

When children are writing adults will:

  • Support the child to structure their ideas
  • Revise, edit and improve, giving feedback during the process and encourage children to check their own writing

Developing Handwriting 

In our school we follow the Nelson Handwriting programme. 

Nelson Handwriting is a whole-school programme designed to help all children develop a confident, legible and personal handwriting style and meet higher curriculum expectations.

We support the development of fine motor skills from Nursery by planning activities which develop muscle development and control. Children who are still working on developing these skills are provide with targetted interventions in all year groups. 

Immersed in our topics