Our Intent
“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”
John Keating
Intent
At St John’s, our aim is to support the development of writing in order that pupils can clearly and accurately communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas in a range of contexts, for a range of purposes and audiences through the written word. We strive to support the development of confident, enthusiastic writers who write to entertain, to inform and for their own pleasure.
With this in mind, writing is a crucial part of our curriculum; the teaching of writing can be discrete but is often cross-curricular and linked to wider learning. We want to develop writers who can edit and improve their own writing using appropriate grammar and vocabulary for effect so that they can communicate effectively and are prepared for the next phase of education.
Implementation
At St John’s, our writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling curriculum is based upon the National Curriculum. Lessons take place every day and we use the Talk4Writing approach throughout school which has strong links with reading comprehension, oracy, analytical thinking and organisational study skills (metacognition). It gives careful consideration to the sequence of lessons which build towards a piece of writing which showcases pupils’ acquired knowledge, skills and understanding.
The approach allows the study, recall and initial imitation of high-quality texts with a focus on organisation and language features. Grammar is taught within the context of the text. Through innovation and eventually invention of similar genres, teachers break the writing process down into manageable, explicitly taught chunks providing pupils with opportunities to practise skills in different contexts. The approach also places emphasis on planning and editing which are explicitly taught.
We pay careful attention to the cohorts and tailor our curriculum, choosing texts to drive the writing curriculum which motivate pupils to learn. We believe that if we establish a love for reading and expose pupils to high quality vocabulary, this will have a significant impact on their ability to become authors and develop their own, individualised style of writing. We believe that pupils who are provided a reason for writing demonstrate flair and effective writing composition, leading to high quality outcomes.
We endeavour to provide a ‘language rich’ environment and strive to raise the profile of reading with children, parents and carers. We have a wide range of texts displayed around our academy and within our classrooms, we explore ambitious vocabulary through reading, knowledge organisers and working walls. Displays include tier 2 and 3 vocabulary with the expectation that pupils will use this in their discussions and their recording, thereby broadening their range of academic vocabulary.
Impact:
By the time they leave us the vast majority of children write clearly and accurately and adapt their language and style for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences. They have acquired a wide vocabulary and have a strong command of the written word. Our aim is for the vast majority to achieve ARE with some writing at greater depth and to have made at least good or better progress from their starting points. Most importantly, they speak positively about their writing and are well equipped for the rest of their education.
Year 6 – The Jabberwocky
Year 2 – Poetry Day 2019
Year 1 – Handwriting
Contact Information
Head Teacher: Mr M Ramsay
Fenby Avenue
Darlington
County Durham
DL1 4UB
01325 380725 | admin@stjohnsceacademy.co.uk
Our School
In our most recent Ofsted inspection, the school was graded as ‘Outstanding.’ We provide high-quality teaching from caring, conscientious staff who are committed to ensuring that every child reaches their full potential.
Christian values are fostered within our friendly school and we were rated ‘Outstanding’ in our most recent Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS). We have links with Darlington Deanery and the Durham Diocese.