Writing is a fundamental life skill that enables children to communicate ideas, express themselves and make meaning. At Hasland Infant and Nursery School, we believe that all children are writers and that a love of writing begins with the earliest marks children make as they seek to represent their thoughts, experiences and ideas.

Our writing curriculum is carefully sequenced to develop confident, independent and purposeful writers. Through high-quality texts, rich language experiences and meaningful learning opportunities, children develop the transcription and composition skills needed to communicate effectively. All writing has a clear purpose, enabling children to understand why they are writing and who they are writing for. Carefully planned learning sequences ensure that children build the knowledge, vocabulary and skills required for success, while providing meaningful opportunities to apply and refine their writing across the wider curriculum.

We want every child to leave Hasland Infant and Nursery School as a confident and capable writer who can communicate effectively, think creatively and write with accuracy, fluency and purpose. By nurturing a love of writing and providing authentic opportunities to write, we equip children with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for the next stage of their education and beyond.

In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, children are taught how to spell Common Exception Words (Sight words). Common Exception Words are words that appear frequently in reading and writing but cannot always be sounded out using children's phonic knowledge, so they need to be learnt and remembered by sight.  These words are taught systematically through daily phonics lessons. Children are given frequent opportunities to read, spell and apply these words in context so that they become increasingly confident and accurate in their use.