Pencil Grip
Developing an effective pencil grip is a key part of writing development at Lanivet. We know that a comfortable and efficient pencil grip supports children to write with greater control, stamina and confidence. From the Early Years through to Key Stage 2, staff explicitly teach and model the correct pencil grip and handwriting posture. We use a whole-school tracking system to monitor children's pencil grip and identify any pupils who may need additional support. This ensures that any difficulties can be addressed early and that children develop the physical skills needed to become fluent, independent writers. Through consistent expectations and targeted support, we help every child establish strong foundations for successful writing.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
At Lanivet, we recognise that the writing journey begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Writing develops alongside all areas of learning, particularly communication and language, reading and mathematics. We introduce children to letter formation through the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme, ensuring that early writing develops alongside early reading.
At Lanivet, we know that developing the correct pencil grip from the beginning is essential. Children are explicitly taught how to hold a pencil correctly so they can form letters comfortably and efficiently as their writing develops. Adults model and support correct pencil grip throughout the day so that good habits are established early.
To support transcription, we provide many opportunities for children to develop finger strength, hand control and coordination. At Lanivet, we know that strong writers first need strong hands. In the early stages, children learn these skills through a wide range of fun, play-based experiences. Carefully planned provision helps children develop both fine and gross motor skills in preparation for writing. Activities such as squashing, squeezing and rolling playdough, cutting, stamping, dot painting with cotton buds, and brushing and painting with large brushes outdoors all help build the strength and coordination needed for confident and independent writing.
In Reception, we begin our writing journey through Drawing Club, an imaginative approach created by Greg Bottrill that inspires children to develop their vocabulary, communication and early writing skills through carefully chosen stories, traditional tales and animations. Drawing Club combines the three key elements of Making Conversation, Mark Making and Mathematics, encouraging children to talk, draw, create and problem-solve in meaningful and engaging ways.
We carefully select high-quality texts that link to children's interests and areas of development. For example, The Colour Monster helps children to recognise, name and discuss their emotions by linking feelings to colours, supporting both communication and emotional literacy. Through these rich storytelling experiences, children build confidence as communicators, develop a love of books and begin to see themselves as writers.
Key Stage 1 – RWI Get Writing
At Lanivet, we build on the strong foundations established in EYFS as children move into Key Stage 1. From EYFS to KS1 we follow the Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics programme, developed by Ruth Miskin, to support the development of early reading and writing. In March 2026, we introduced the RWI Get Writing! scheme to further strengthen writing outcomes.
Children are gradually introduced to writing sentences, beginning with Ditty–Red books. Activities are closely linked to the RWI Storybooks and selected non-fiction texts so that children can make clear connections between their reading and writing.
At Lanivet, children are supported at every stage of their writing journey. They progress from writing simple sentences to producing longer pieces such as letters, invitations, descriptive texts and non-fiction reports. Longer writing tasks follow a structured six-step process, with plenty of opportunities for oral rehearsal, discussion and role play so that children develop ideas before they begin writing.
We continue to explicitly teach key foundational writing skills, including correct pencil grip, accurate letter formation, sentence construction, spelling using phonics knowledge and proofreading their work. Check boxes within the books encourage children to review and edit their writing, supporting independence and sustained progress.
Through these carefully planned approaches, children at Lanivet develop the confidence, skills and independence needed to succeed in writing as they transition into Key Stage 2.
KS2 Writing
In Key Stage 2 at Lanivet, we further build on the work done lower down the school, following a trust-wide agreed writing structure which focuses on consistency, the development and review of fundamental skills, and giving children real purposes for their writing.
At Lanivet, we continue using the Read Write Inc. (RWI) handwriting scheme into Key Stage 2. This helps our children develop consistency in forming and joining their letters correctly and develop a fluent and efficient handwriting style. These 10-minute daily sessions provide opportunities for children to practise their letters, joins and apply them in sentences.
Read Write Inc. spelling sessions accompany the daily handwriting session. These sessions teach spelling cumulatively and systematically, with deliberate, focused practice, building on the teaching strategies and spelling activities from Read Write Inc. Phonics.
Each writing lesson begins with a ‘Key Skills’ session. These sessions focus on daily short, regular practice of grammar, punctuation and transcription skills to support pupils in developing accuracy and fluency. Writing lessons then apply these skills through extended composition, focusing on purpose, audience and structure. Key Skills sessions provide opportunities to practise, revisit and secure key knowledge so it becomes automatic.
Daily dictation is also part of this session and includes key spelling patterns, common exception words, punctuation and grammar content.
Three sentences are planned for each week:
· One new sentence
· Two sentences revisited for review
· Opportunities to assess and respond to misconceptions
We begin each writing unit with a diagnostic task to establish pupils’ starting points. This allows teachers to identify what pupils can remember from previous learning, which feeds directly into the unit ahead and can be applied independently. It also highlights common misconceptions and supports teachers in planning targeted support where needed.
Children then move on to the ‘Ignite and Immerse’ phase of the writing unit. This phase is designed to immerse children in their learning and ignite their curiosity. This is achieved through a range of sessions, such as hook activities, vocabulary exploration and development, structured drama opportunities, and text exploration.
Well-chosen and carefully crafted model texts help pupils understand how purpose, audience, structure and language choices work together, creating a shared understanding of success and raising expectations for writing.
In the ‘Model and Master’ phase of the writing unit, children are explicitly taught word-, sentence- and text-level content, which is linked directly to a specific writing outcome and ensures that each concept is introduced with a clear purpose and immediate application. Opportunities to apply this content are provided through short-burst writes, guided writing and shared writing.
Finally, in the ‘Craft and Create’ phase, children bring together all of the learning from across the unit. The creation of their own piece of writing is broken down into the following stages:
- Plan – pupils organise and shape their ideas purposefully, rather than attempting to plan and write at the same time.
- Draft – pupils focus on shaping and communicating ideas clearly and coherently.
- Revise – pupils develop ideas more fully, improve clarity and make deliberate choices, such as adding detail, combining sentences or improving cohesion.
- Edit – pupils identify and correct errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar so that their writing is accurate and clear for the reader.
- Publish – sharing their writing helps pupils understand that writing is purposeful and intended to be read or heard by an audience when this is appropriate and meaningful.