Statutory Expectations: Writing 2

EYFS

• To draw lines and circles using gross motor movements.
• To use one-handed tools and equipment e.g. making snips in paper.
• To hold a pencil near the point between their first two fingers and thumb and use it with good control.
• To cope some letters e.g. letters from their name.
• To give meaning to the marks they draw and paint.
• To show preference for a dominant hand.
• To begin to use anticlockwise movement and retrace vertical lines.
• To use a pencil and hold it effectively to form recognizable letters, most of which are correctly formed.
• To use some clearly identifiable letters to communicate meaning, representing some sounds correctly and in sequence.
• To link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet.
• To use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways that match their spoken sounds.
• To write some irregular common words.

Year 1

• To spell words containing each of the 40+ phonemes already taught.
• To spell common exceptions words, as detailed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1, correctly.
• To accurately spell the days of the week.
• To be able to name the letters of the alphabet in order and to use letter names to be able to distinguish between alternative spellings of the same sound.
• To be able to add prefixes and suffixes:
  • -s or -es
  • Un-
  • -ing, -ed, -er and -est
• Apply simple spelling rules and guidance as listed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1.
• Write from memory simple sentences dictates by the teacher that include words using the GPCs and common exception words taught so far.
• To sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly.
• To begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place.
• Form capital letters correctly.
• Form digits 0-9 correctly.
• To understand which letters belong to which handwriting families (letters that are formed in similar ways) and to practise these.

Year 2

• To spell by segmenting spoken words into phonemes and representing these by graphemes, spelling many correctly.
• To learn new ways of spelling phonemes for which one or more spellings are already known, and learn some words with each spelling, including a few common homophones.
• To spell common exceptions words, as detailed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1, correctly.
• Learn to spell an increasing number of words with contracted forms.
• Learn how to use the singular possessive apostrophe.
• To be able to distinguish between homophones and near-homophones.
• To add suffices to spell longer words:
  • -ment
  • -ness
  • -ful
  • -less
  • -ly
• To be able to apply spelling rules and guidance, as detailed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1.
• Write from memory simple sentences dictated by the teacher that include words using the GPCs, common exception words and punctuation taught so far.

Year 3

Skills in LKS2 will be introduced in Year 3 and revisited in Year 4 to provide children with the opportunity to master the skills taught before transitioning to UKS2.

• To use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them as detailed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1.
• To be able to spell further homophones.
• To be able to accurately spell words that are often misspelt.
• Place the possessive apostrophe accurately in words with regular plurals e.g. girls’ and in words with irregular plural e.g. children’s.
• Use the first two or three letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary.
• Write from memory simple sentences, dictated by the teacher, that include words and punctuation taught so far.
• To be able 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.
• To improve the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting e.g. by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing a spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch.

Year 4

In Year 4 children will revisit the skills introduced in Year 3 to build confidence, independence and mastery.

• To use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them as detailed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1.
• To be able to spell further homophones.
• To be able to accurately spell words that are often misspelt.
• Place the possessive apostrophe accurately in words with regular plurals e.g. girls’ and in words with irregular plural e.g. children’s.
• Use the first two or three letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary.
• Write from memory simple sentences, dictated by the teacher, that include words and punctuation taught so far.
• To be able 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.
• To improve the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting e.g. by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing a spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch.

Year 5

Skills in UKS2 will be introduced in Year 5 and revisited in Year 6 to provide children with the opportunity to master the skills taught before transitioning to UKS2.

• Children should be taught to use further prefixes and suffixes and understand the guidance for adding them.
• Spell some words with silent letter e.g. knight
• Continue to distinguish between homophones and other words which are often confused.
• Use knowledge of morphology and etymology in spelling and understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically, as listed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1.
• To use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of words.
• To use a thesaurus.
• 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.

Year 6

In Year 6 children will revisit the skills introduced in Year 5 to build confidence, independence and mastery to ensure they are fully prepared for transition to secondary school.

• Children should be taught to use further prefixes and suffixes and understand the guidance for adding them.
• Spell some words with silent letter e.g. knight
• Continue to distinguish between homophones and other words which are often confused.
• Use knowledge of morphology and etymology in spelling and understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically, as listed in the National Curriculum English Appendix 1.
• To use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of words.
• To use the first three of four letters of a word to check spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary.
• To use a thesaurus.
• 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.