Handwriting

Intent

It is our aim to encourage the progression and development of each child’s handwriting throughout the schools into a fluent, legible and individual style that can be adapted for a range of purposes and will support their spelling and composition. We aim to:

• Ensure that from KS2 children are encourage to join and use a cursive writing style.
• Make sure all children know the difference between lower and uppercase letters
• To ensure the skills taught at Key Stage 1 continue to develop throughout Key Stage 2.
• To adopt a consistent approach towards handwriting when teaching and creating resources.

Implementation

The school follows the Nelson handwriting scheme which provides clear guidance for a whole-school and consistent approach to the teaching of handwriting. Teachers will have access to online teaching resources and handwriting worksheets were necessary.

Children will be taught to:

• Hold a pencil correctly. Children should be encouraged to use a tripod pencil grip, where the pencil is gripped between the index finger and the thumb. The middle finger is then used to support the underside of the pencil.
• Adopt the correct posture when writing.
• Write from left to right and from top to bottom of the page.
• Start and finish letters correctly in a cursive.
• Form regularly sized and shaped letters.
• Use regular spacing between letters and words.
• Take a pride in their written work and the overall presentation.

EYFS

Nursery children will be encouraged to develop gross and fine motor control. They will be encouraged to:

• Develop manipulation and control.
• Explore different materials and tools.
• Express ideas and feelings through making marks, and sometimes give a meaning to the marks they make.
• Use one-handed tools and equipment, for example, making snips in paper with scissors.
• Use a comfortable grip with good control when holding pens and pencils.

Reception

As the children progress into Reception, children will be taught to form letters correctly using Read Write Inc’s guidance on letter formation using the RWI mnemonics to aid the correct letter formation. Letter formation is taught alongside phonic development. Our aim is that by the end of foundation stage all children hold a pencil correctly and form all letters and numbers correctly. Errors in pencil grip and letter formation will be immediately addressed, modelled and corrected.

Key Stage 1

Children will receive a weekly handwriting session for a minimum of 30 mins as indicated on each class timetable. This will be completed in their handwriting books and will be a focus of both letter formation and forming words (common exception/tier words) with these skills.

Year 1 pupils should be 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 (according to the school’s policy).
• Form capital letters · form digits 0-9.
• Understand which letters belong to which handwriting ‘families’ (i.e. letters that are formed in similar ways) and to practise these.

Our aim is that by the end of Year 1 children will be forming all letters correctly.

Year 2 pupils should be 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. (Consider how well your pupils are able to successfully master what you are expecting of them at each stage, so that the writing process does not become a barrier to enjoyment and success.)
• 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.
• Non statutory: They should be taught to write with a joined style as soon as they can form letters securely with the correct orientation. This will be taught within handwriting lessons.

In Year 2 children will continue to practise their letter formation making sure that it is legible. If the child becomes ready during year 2, the teacher may decide to send additional handwriting homework for the child to begin joining their letters with the support of home.

Lower Key Stage 2

In Year 3 the children will be encouraged to begin the development of basic joins which they should transfer into all their independent writing. Pupils should be 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. The skill is then continued to be taught and encouraged in Year 4.

Children will receive a weekly handwriting session for a minimum of 40 mins per week as indicated on each class timetable. This will be completed in their handwriting books and will be a focus of both letter formation and forming words (common exception/tier words) with these skills. Children may self-mark their handwriting by identifying their neatest word/letter/join on that line by placing a small dot underneath.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Years 5 and 6 Children will receive a weekly handwriting session for a minimum of 40 mins per week as indicated on each class timetable. This will be completed in their handwriting books and will be a focus of both letter formation and forming words (common exception/tier words) with these skills. Children may self-mark their handwriting by identifying their neatest word/letter/join on that line by placing a small dot underneath.

Pupils should be 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.
•  Non statutory: Pupils should continue to practise handwriting and be encouraged to increase the speed of it, so that problems with forming letters do not get in the way of their writing down what they want to say. They should be clear about what standard of handwriting is appropriate for a particular task, for example, quick notes or a final handwritten version.

Assessment and Progression

Nelson Handwriting has placement and progress tests to help assess and monitor each child’s progress. Nelson Spelling has frequent check-ups to help monitor children’s progress and placement and assessment tests to assess children’s progress through the scheme.

Equipment

Handwriting lines are printed in all writing books for children to use. When modelling in writing lessons teachers will also use an exercise book to model how to use these lines correctly. Children should use a sharp pencil for all handwriting initially.

In KS2, when teachers assess that children are competent at joined handwriting, they will be awarded a pen licence which will be presented in Congrats. (No biro pens and school will provide the specific pen needed). In some cases, depending on the specific needs of individual, children may use pencil grips or pens with a specific grip.

Impact

Handwriting is a skill which affects written communication across the curriculum. Our aim is that children are able to write with ease, speed and legibility. By year 6 children will be encouraged to use cursive handwriting using flowing movements and patterns. This handwriting should be demonstrated in all writing across the curriculum. Writing should be fluid in style to allow children to apply their energy into the content of their writing as opposed to the formation of the letters themselves.

• Expectations and Progression in Handwriting