Amesbury CE Primary School Handwriting Policy 2016/17 Aims
Handwriting is a movement skill and one which is best taught directly by demonstration, explanation and practice. The movements of your hand when writing are firmly established in your movement memory because you have made them so often. This is why children need to practise handwriting movements correctly and often. The first handwriting lessons are vital. The most important issue is to ensure that the children we teach learn to form the letters of the alphabet with the correct sequence of strokes from the beginning. The correct formation of all letters needs to become automatic and may require a lot of practice. Amesbury CE VC Primary School aims to teach pupils how to correctly form their letters in the Foundation Stage, before teaching children to control and refine their letter formation in Key Stage 1, leading to a fluent and efficient joined script in Key Stage 2. The Foundation Stage Fine motor control is developed through various activities such as: sewing and weaving activities; chopping and peeling in cooking activities; using finger rhymes; structured sand and water play; using paints and marker pens etc. Gross motor control is developed using a variety of activities that include: consolidating the vocabulary of movement by talking about the movements children make; encouraging sky writing; making patterns in the air and in sand/foam trays; using play dough and cutters to make letter shapes etc. Letter shapes are linked with sounds by encouraging children to learn to listen to and discriminate between sounds in their environment, in music and in rhyme. Letter shapes are taught alongside letter sounds using a range of kinaesthetic activities. Methods used include: sky writing; writing with paint and marker pens. Lower case letter formation is taught using the Read, Write, Inc letter formation sayings. Letter formation guidance from the Read, Write, Inc scheme is displayed in each classroom and can be found on the school s website. Name writing is continued from pre-school (or introduced to children without nursery experience when they join school). The Foundation Stage follow our adopted Penpals Handwriting material, which aims to prepare children for handwriting by consolidating motor control and introducing letter shapes through creative and enjoyable practical activities, such as rhymes and movements to model letter formation as prescribed in the scheme of work. The class teacher will consistently model a clear, printed script. Recommended Materials: Paint brushes; marker pens; chunky triangular pencils; whiteboards and dry wipe markers; sand trays; felt tip pens; blank paper and large paper with a single line. Key Stage One
In Year 1 pupils are taught to: Sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly. Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place Form capital letters Form digits 0-9 Understand which letters belong to which handwriting families (i.e. letters that are formed in similar ways, for example the long ladder letters ) and to practise these. In Year 2 pupils are taught to: Form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another Start using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined Write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters Use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters. Teaching Practice Letter formation is developed from the Foundation Stage, following the guidelines of the National Curriculum 2014 and the Penpals scheme of work. All letter shapes and phonic values are consolidated in these years, and recognition and formation of upper case letters is introduced in Year 1. Formation should be generally clear with the correct orientation and ascenders and descenders distinguished. Lower case letter formation guidance from the Read, Write, Inc scheme is displayed with capital letters displayed alongside them in each classroom. Children are taught to join common letter patterns in Year 2. The correct methods of joining are demonstrated and taught under supervision to prevent the development of bad habits. Methods used include writing in the air; on partner s backs, using whiteboards, marker pens; sand etc. A 5-10 minute teacher-led handwriting session is taught daily. This is supported by regular practice within lessons. During these sessions, activities from the Penpals scheme are used while practising handwriting in the back of writing books. The teacher models good practice for the children to copy. When appropriate, extra handwriting may be sent home as homework after prior consultation with parents. The class teacher will consistently model a clear, printed script throughout Year 1. Towards the end of Year 1 and throughout Year 2, the class teacher will model a joined script.
Recommended Materials: Homemade writing slopes (using filled A4 files); chunky triangular pencils; standard HB pencils; whiteboards and dry wipe markers and pens; felt tip pens; marker pens; wide lined paper in writing books. Key Stage Two In Years 3 and 4 pupils are taught to: Use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined Increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting (for example, by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch). Teaching Practice Correct joining methods are taught and consolidated using the adapted guidance from the Penpals scheme. Lower case letter formation guidance from the Read, Write, Inc scheme is displayed with capital letters displayed alongside them in each classroom. Handwriting is taught through all subjects and good practice is modelled by teachers at all times, using a joined script. A 5-10 minute teacher-led handwriting session is taught daily. This is supported by regular practice within lessons. During these sessions, activities from the Penpals scheme are used while practising handwriting in the back of writing books. When appropriate, extra handwriting may be sent home as homework after prior consultation with parents. Handwriting is practised and refined so that it becomes correctly formed and joined. Fluent, legible and joined handwriting is developed and pens are used when appropriate and agreed with the child. Children write predominantly in pencil. Recommended Materials: Homemade writing slopes (using filled A4 files); Writing books; wide-lined paper; line-guide cards for use under blank paper; standard HB pencils; ballpoint pens; cartridge pens; handwriting worksheets. In Years 5 and 6 pupils are taught to: Write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by:
Choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters Choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task. Teaching Practice Fluent, legible and joined handwriting continues to be developed using the adapted script from the Penpals scheme. Letter formation guidance for uppercase and lowercase letters is displayed in each classroom. Handwriting is taught through all subjects and good practice is modelled by teachers at all times, using a joined script. A 5-10 minute teacher-led handwriting session is taught daily. This is supported by regular practice within lessons. During these sessions, activities from the Penpals scheme are used while practising handwriting in the back of writing books. The teacher must model good practice for the children to copy. When appropriate, extra handwriting may be sent home as homework after prior consultation with parents. Children write in pen when the teacher feels that handwriting is consistently fluent, legible and joined. Pupils begin to develop a personal style of handwriting. When appropriate, extra handwriting may be sent home as homework after prior consultation with parents. Recommended Materials: Handwriting exercise books; wide-lined paper; line-guide cards for use under blank paper; standard HB pencils; Berol black ink handwriting pens; handwriting worksheets. Penpals Penpals makes frequent links to other English objectives, so handwriting lessons also become an opportunity to revise other aspects of writing. Penpals links letter-formation practice with spelling patterns, resulting in efficient handwriting and higher quality writing. Penpals provides clear progression for children aged 3 to 11 starting in the Foundation Stage where children practise their gross and fine motor skills in readiness for handwriting and finishing in Years 5 and 6 where basic handwriting issues are revised and speed and fluency improved. Posture
Correct pen/pencil grip is encouraged - held between thumb and first finger, resting against middle finger. Pencil grips can be used to support pupils with difficulties and are available through the school SENCO. The paper or book should be positioned comfortably with the non-writing hand used to steady the paper/book. Pupils will be encouraged to sit with their bodies positioned comfortably and supportively on a steady chair to aid their handwriting, without slouching, slumping or leaning sideways. Left-handed Children At the Foundation Stage children should begin to show their dominant hand for writing when using mark making and writing materials. Letter formation should be modelled for left-handed children using methods such as sky writing by the teacher, using their left hand. A mark can be made at the left hand side of the page to indicate where writing begins as some left-handed children mirror-write from the right. Dyspraxia/ Poor Motor Control Children with persistent fine motor control problems can be referred to the SENCO for a dyspraxia screen and if appropriate, the provision of a fine motor programme. Agreed Indicators of Good Progress in Handwriting Short, regular practice (at least one 5 minute slot per day in both KS1 and KS2) in order to establish, develop and maintain good writing habits. Good examples of handwriting to be displayed around the classroom. Correct vocabulary to describe handwriting is used in KS1 and KS2 (ascenders, descenders, formation, cursive, spacing, size, join) so that pupils understand what is expected of them. Correct formation of all letters, adherence to the agreed school policy for handwriting. Correct sitting position all pupils comfortable and facing the teacher when modelling good practice. Correct pencil/pen grip to be encouraged held between thumb and first finger, resting against middle finger. Pencil grips can be used to support pupils with difficulties. Paper position comfortable for pupil adjusted for left or right hander, spare hand used to steady paper. The teacher is seen by pupils to model the school handwriting style e.g. when writing on whiteboards/flipcharts, when writing in pupils' books etc. Suitable and well maintained writing implements available to pupils HB pencils/consortium handwriting pens with blue ink. Evidence of transfer seen in pupils other exercise books.
Teacher to carefully analyse pupils work for errors in joins/formation, and target areas for concern with pupils. Evidence of differentiation special consideration for left-handers. Teacher to check that pupils who need to wear spectacles are doing so. Learning objectives are made clear to pupils at the start of handwriting sessions and are re-visited at the end. Review: The policy will be reviewed annually by the English subject leader(s) and leadership team and shared with all stakeholders. Policy last reviewed: September 2016 Policy to be reviewed: July 2017