Intent

At Manor Road Primary School, we believe that every child is a writer. Our writing curriculum is designed to inspire a love of language, develop confident communicators and equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary needed to succeed across the curriculum and beyond. Using the Lancashire Teaching Backwards model, pupils are immersed in high-quality texts, carefully analyse the features of successful writing and understand the purpose and audience before creating their own independent outcomes. The curriculum is sequenced progressively from EYFS to Year 6, ensuring that transcription, composition, grammar and punctuation knowledge build systematically over time. We further enhance vocabulary and SPaG development through the use of Ninja Vocabulary, enabling pupils to acquire ambitious language, deepen their understanding of word choice and apply increasingly sophisticated grammatical structures in their writing. We aim for all pupils to write with confidence, accuracy, creativity and pride.

Implementation

Writing is taught through a consistent whole-school approach using the Lancashire Teaching Backwards model. Units begin with a high-quality model text, allowing pupils to identify key features, explore authorial techniques and understand the intended purpose and audience. Teachers carefully deconstruct the end point and plan learning backwards, ensuring that pupils are explicitly taught the skills, knowledge and vocabulary required for success. Grammar, punctuation and sentence construction are taught within meaningful writing contexts and reinforced through the Ninja Vocabulary programme, which systematically develops tiers of vocabulary and promotes ambitious language choices. Regular opportunities for speaking and listening, shared writing, guided practice, editing and redrafting support pupils in developing as reflective writers. Assessment for learning informs teaching, with targeted support and challenge enabling all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, to make strong progress.

Impact

As a result of our carefully sequenced approach, pupils become confident, articulate and increasingly independent writers. They demonstrate a strong understanding of writing structures, audience and purpose, and are able to apply grammar, punctuation and spelling skills accurately within their independent writing. The use of Ninja Vocabulary supports pupils in selecting ambitious and precise language, resulting in rich vocabulary choices and improved writing outcomes across the curriculum. Pupils take pride in their work, can discuss their writing using appropriate grammatical terminology and show resilience through editing and improving their compositions. Progress is evident in books, pupil discussions, assessment outcomes and published pieces, with children leaving Manor Road Primary as capable, enthusiastic writers who are well-prepared for the next stage of their education.