Talk4Writing

Writing at Corringham Primary School (Talk for Writing)

At Corringham Primary School, we are committed to developing confident, capable writers who can communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. From our youngest learners in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to our Year 6s, writing is an essential part of how pupils express their thinking and understanding across the curriculum. To support this, we use the Talk for Writing approach, which places spoken language at the heart of the writing process and helps children internalise language structures before writing independently.

Our approach to writing is carefully structured and progressive, ensuring that composition (what children write and how ideas are developed) and transcription (how writing is recorded accurately through spelling and handwriting) are taught explicitly and systematically.

Key Features of Our Writing Curriculum

Composition through Talk before Writing: 

Oracy plays a central role in developing composition. Children are encouraged to rehearse sentences aloud, retell whole texts, and discuss ideas before writing. This supports the development of vocabulary, sentence structure, and the coherent sequencing of ideas.

Model Texts and Shared Writing

High-quality model texts are chosen to demonstrate how different genres are structured and how effective language choices are made.

Teachers model the writing process through shared writing, explicitly demonstrating how ideas are composed, refined, and improved.

Imitation, Innovation, and Independent Writing: 

Pupils learn a text, adapt it by changing characters, settings, or events, and then write independently. They often create story maps help them to learn and retell whole texts. This process allows pupils to focus on composition while gradually increasing independence and creativity.

Explicit Teaching of Transcription: 

Spelling, handwriting, and sentence punctuation are taught explicitly and regularly. Teaching staff support pupils to develop accurate spelling strategies and fluent handwriting, so that transcription skills do not become a barrier to expressing ideas in writing.

Progressive Skills Development: 

Expectations for both composition and transcription increase as pupils move through the school. Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, and handwriting are revisited and built upon year on year.

Writing Across the Curriculum: 

Pupils apply both composition and transcription skills in a range of subjects, including science, history, and geography, helping them understand that writing is a purposeful and meaningful tool for learning.

How to Help at Home

We recognise that writing can sometimes feel challenging. Approaches to teaching writing may look different to how parents and carers learned at school. Our focus is on helping children develop ideas, language, and confidence through talk, while also supporting accuracy in spelling and handwriting.

Here are some ways you can support your child’s writing at home:

Talk About Ideas

Encourage your child to talk about stories they have read, experiences they have had, or ideas they would like to write about. Talking together helps children to organise their ideas before writing.

Encourage Storytelling

Ask your child to retell familiar stories and support them in their efforts. Encourage children to create their own texts, thinking about clear beginnings, middles, and endings.

Write for Real Purposes

Encourage everyday writing including: lists, notes, cards, labels, or messages. All of these help children to see that writing has a real purpose.

Celebrate Effort: 

Praise ideas, effort, and creativity as well as accurate spelling and handwriting. Building confidence is key to developing as a writer.

Across the school, writing is taught using a shared approach and common language. This consistency helps pupils feel confident and secure as they move through year groups, with familiar routines and expectations supporting progression over time.