Writing
At Redlands Primary School, we are passionate about nurturing confident, creative, and skilled writers. We believe that writing is not a linear process; instead, it requires children to revisit and refine skills over time. Our carefully sequenced curriculum is designed to build on prior learning, ensuring that pupils develop a deep understanding of writing techniques, grammar, and vocabulary.
Central to our approach is the use of carefully curated, high-quality texts that inspire and challenge our pupils. These texts serve as rich models of language and structure, providing the foundation for children to explore a range of genres and writing styles. By connecting writing tasks to topics where pupils have secure subject knowledge, we manage cognitive load, allowing children to focus on developing their writing craft.
Through purposeful teaching, regular opportunities for practice, and meaningful feedback, we empower our pupils to write with clarity, creativity, and confidence—preparing them to be effective communicators for life.
| Year 6 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | South America Rainforest | Mayans | WW2 | Looking after our environment | Crime and Punishment / Holes | Transitions |
| Genre | Non Chron Report rainforest anima | Narrative adventure – time hop | Diary Blitz | Biography – post 1945 people who changed history | Letter home white lies / desert setting description | Short narrative |
| Setting writing / Character development | Explanation text - Tourist Guide leaflet | Performance / War Poetry | Persuasive argument | Short narrative | Diary writes | |
| Oracy presentation – Turning Points WW2 | Narrative – character description |
| Year 5 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | Vikings | Mountains | Volcanoes & Earthquakes | Earth & Space | Europe | Ancient Greece |
| Genre | Kenning poems | Non Chron report - mountain information | Persuasive Advert Writing | Non chron report | Narrative - recount | Narrative - myths |
| Settings | Playscripts | Diary entry | Biography – space explorers | Information text/guide to Athens | Narrative – character description | |
| Persuasive – letter of complaint |
| Year 4 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| Topic | Romans | Local enquiry – Reading street names | Rainforest | The Amazon | Anglo Saxons and Scots | |
| Genre |
Historical narrative | Explanation text | Narrative | Debate - effects of deforestation | Explanation text – layers of rainforest | Diary of Sutton Hoo |
| Diary writes | Non chron report comparing Amazon to Thames | Poetry | Character Study based on Zane and the Hurricane | Letter of persuasion about deforestation |
| Year 3 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
Spring 1 |
Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | Stones and Bones | Climate Zones | Huntley and Palmer Local area study. | North America | Sc An incl human | Egypt achievements of early civilizations |
| Genre | Historical time hop narrative - Rocks | Instructional – explanation | Narrative Dilemma | Letter/Diary | Moral Tale - narrative | Newspaper recount |
| Poetry | Write / present a weather forecast | To argue case | Poetry | Discovery of Tutankhamun Diary | ||
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Narrative - Character focus |
| Year 2 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | Great Fire of London / Gun Powder Plot | Geog continents and Oceans | Hot and cold places |
Significant people: Nurses Florence N and Edith Cavell |
Our school and the RBH |
Mugumaremo Village, Zambia |
| Genre | Recount | Letter | Narrative | Biography / Fact fil | Adventure narratives | Non chron report |
| Diary | Performance Poetry | Short letters / postcards home | Setting/diary extract life in village |
| Year 1 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | Seasonal changes | Animals- all about the human body |
The Railways come to Reading Sc Materials |
United Kingdom | Transport past and present | SC - Plants |
| Genre | Narratives, descriptions | Character descriptions | Postcards/ Narrative | Letters / facts | Non chronological report. | Explanation text - instructions |
| Non-chronological reports |
|
FS1 |
Autumn 1 |
Autumn 2 |
Spring 1 |
Spring 2 |
Summer 1 |
Summer 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Topic |
It’s good to be me |
Fabulous Festivals |
Brrr it’s cold outside |
Let’s go on safari |
Let’s Grow |
At the Seaside |
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Genre |
Repetition stories |
Label in words (CVC) |
Writing sentences |
Narrative
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Instructions to plant a seed/bean
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Letter writing |
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To narrate an adventure – meaningful marks recount |
Orally tell stories |
Non Fiction (book) |
Write for a purpose | Story writing – narrative | Create a story | |
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Story maps |
Caption | List writing | ||||
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Labels – initial sounds |
Descriptive writing | |||||
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Poetry |
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Non Fiction Facts about an animal. (Going on a lion hunt) |
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