At Godfrey Ermen Primary School, our English curriculum is designed to develop articulate, confident and capable communicators who leave us with a lifelong love of reading and writing. Our approach brings together the Writing Framework, Oracy Framework and Strong Foundations to ensure a highly coherent, carefully sequenced curriculum from Early Years to Year 6.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), we build the foundations for successful writing through a rich blend of language, play and early mark making. Children engage in pre‑writing shapes, mark‑making opportunities, Drawing Club and Helicopter Stories, which nurture imagination, vocabulary and narrative thinking. High‑quality texts underpin daily provision, and “book talk” is central to building children’s understanding, curiosity and confidence with story language.
Our Strong Foundations approach ensures that communication and language, fine motor skills and the earliest elements of executive function are prioritised from the outset. This early focus equips children with the physical control, attention, vocabulary and confidence they need for future writing success.
We follow the LetterJoin handwriting scheme, ensuring that correct letter formation is taught explicitly, systematically and consistently. Through regular guided practice, pupils develop fluency, legibility and stamina, with early misconceptions addressed quickly. By establishing secure letter formation early on, children develop the transcription skills needed to focus on the craft of writing as they move through the school.
Writing at Godfrey Ermen follows a carefully structured writing process, always linked to a high‑quality text. Each sequence is designed to immerse pupils in rich language, strong models and meaningful contexts for writing. Our focus is on quality over quantity, ensuring that accuracy, vocabulary and sentence structure are deeply embedded before writing at length.
Across all year groups, we use the gradual release model:
My Turn → Our Turn → Your Turn
Teachers model the thinking, strategies and choices that skilled writers use. Pupils then practise collaboratively before applying their skills independently. This approach enables all children to build confidence, understand the writing process and become increasingly reflective, skilled writers.
Grammar, vocabulary and spelling are taught explicitly but always in meaningful context. Pupils learn how to craft sentences, organise ideas and shape whole texts for real purposes and audiences.
The Oracy policy underpins every stage of the writing process. We know that children become strong writers when they can express their thoughts clearly, rehearse ideas aloud and build a wide, rich vocabulary.
Across the school, pupils experience:
This strong focus on talk enables pupils to articulate their ideas, explore language choices and think deeply before writing.
Our English curriculum is built on the principle that all children can achieve highly with the right foundations, teaching and support. The Strong Foundations approach ensures consistency in:
These underpinning skills allow pupils to thrive as writers as they progress through school.
We ensure that learning is adaptive, enabling every child to succeed. Targeted support helps pupils keep up, and high expectations ensure that confident writers are challenged to deepen their craft. Children encounter a broad range of genres—stories, explanations, reports, poetry, persuasive writing and more—developing versatility and resilience as writers.
By the time they leave Godfrey Ermen Primary School, pupils write with:
Our aim is that every child sees themselves as a writer—capable, creative and confident—ready for the next stage of their education and life beyond the classroom.