Writing Curriculum

Why Writing Matters at Summerhill

At Summerhill Primary Academy, we recognise that writing is a vital life skill. Through writing, children communicate ideas, share opinions and express themselves creatively and confidently. Our writing curriculum is designed to give all pupils the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to write clearly, accurately and with purpose.

We follow the CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership) Writing Curriculum, a research-informed approach that ensures writing is taught in a structured, supportive and progressive way. By building skills step by step, children develop fluency, independence and pride in their writing.

How We Teach Writing

Writing is taught through a consistent approach across the school, rooted in high-quality texts and clear modelling. Key features of our writing curriculum include:

• Explicit teaching of writing skills, including handwriting, spelling, grammar and sentence construction
• A strong focus on sentence-level mastery, ensuring pupils are confident before moving on to longer pieces
• Use of high-quality literature to support pupils’ understanding of language, audience and purpose
• A carefully sequenced curriculum built on the principle of ‘reduce and revisit’, allowing pupils to return to key text types and deepen their understanding
• Purposeful links with other subjects, including history, geography, science and PSHE

Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils so that every child is supported and challenged appropriately.

Building Strong Writers Step by Step

Writing is a complex skill, so our curriculum is carefully structured to develop all aspects of writing over time. Pupils are taught to:

• write accurately through secure handwriting, spelling and sentence construction
• understand how to plan, structure and compose writing for different purposes and audiences
• apply grammar and vocabulary accurately to improve clarity and impact
• recognise the features and conventions of different text types
• follow the full writing process, including planning, drafting, editing and proofreading

By breaking writing into manageable parts and revisiting key learning, pupils gain the confidence to write independently and at length.

Learning Writing in Depth: Reduce and Revisit

The CUSP Writing Curriculum focuses on teaching fewer text types in greater depth. Each core text type is revisited across the key stages so that pupils can build on prior learning and develop increasing independence.

• In the first teaching block, writing is highly modelled and carefully guided
• When the text type is revisited, pupils apply their learning more independently and creatively

This approach helps pupils secure essential writing skills, avoid cognitive overload and apply their learning confidently across different subjects and contexts.

The Structure of a CUSP Writing Lesson

Each lesson follows a highly structured, research-led sequence, ensuring clear progression and consistency across all year groups.

Lesson Phases

Connect – Activating prior knowledge to anchor new learning.

Explain – Explicit vocabulary instruction and explicit teaching of grammar or sentence construction.

Example – Teacher modelling of high-quality writing and key writing techniques.

Attempt – Guided practice with structured scaffolding.

Apply – Independent writing, applying learning in context.

Challenge – Extending writing through sophisticated techniques and deepening understanding.

This systematic approach ensures all pupils receive clear, consistent instruction in the mechanics and artistry of writing.

The Impact on Our Pupils

As a result of our writing curriculum, pupils at Summerhill Primary Academy become confident, capable writers who can communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. They write with increasing accuracy, fluency and control, and understand how to adapt their writing for different purposes and audiences.

By the time they leave Summerhill Primary Academy, pupils are well prepared for the demands of secondary education and equipped with the writing skills they need for future learning and life beyond school.

For further information on writing progression or overview documents please contact our English team, Mrs Perry or Miss Hughes.