creative writing key stage 1

25 Creative Writing Prompts For KS1 And KS2

While they may not be in the classroom currently, teaching children the benefits of learning to write creatively is a fantastic way to boost their confidence, and help them develop reading and problem-solving skills.

These resources and prompts are aimed to help children come up with new and exciting ideas for stories and to consider all the different elements of storytelling.

So, kids can head over to heir home study space, wherever it may be, and experiment to their heart's content with these fun writing prompts.

Top Tip: Why not check out this post written by a real children's author, with many more tips on how children can write their very own storybooks?

Writing Ideas For Key Stage One Children (Ages 5-7)

With KS1 children, it's a great idea to use their interests and surroundings as inspiration for their creative writing. Coming up with a whole new story can be a big challenge, so the ideas and activities are aimed to help KS1 children to consider one or two things they are really interested in writing, before they create their stories:

• Imagine your favourite toy came to life! What would a day in their life look like? Where would they go and what would they get up to? What would their favourite meals be, and what would their voice sound like?
• Describe the place you live as if you were talking to an alien from another planet. How can you recognise where it is? What is inside? What are all the different things used for and what are some funny human habits that aliens would find interesting?
• Write about the best day out ever. It can be real or just a fantasy day out that you would love to do in the future.
• Imagine a monster came over for dinner. What would they look like? What is their name? What would they eat and how would they eat it?
• Write a letter to your favourite character. Whether it's from a movie, TV show, book or play, imagine what you would write if they were your pen pal.
• Design your own animal, and write a short description about it. Maybe it has lots of fangs, or pink fur. Perhaps it's a mixture of lots of other animals. Draw out a picture of your animal, and then write a short paragraph to describe what it's called, where it lives, what it eats and what it does for fun!
• Think about your favourite book character. Write a short story about what they got up to after the end of the book.

Develop these ideas further by:

-Incorporating the creatures you've invented into a new story.

-Making illustrations to accompany your description of your day out.

-Storyboarding your ideas, to make a cartoon-like sequence of events with images and text.

Writing Ideas For Key Stage 2 Children (Ages 7-11)

Even if English isn't their favourite subject, there are lots of ways to help KS2 aged children get interested in storytelling and creative writing. By allowing kids to select their own books to read away from the classroom, they can figure out which genres and writing styles they enjoy the most.

Exposing children to new ideas and techniques through encouraging reading books, will also, in turn, help their writing abilities to blossom.

A good way to prepare children for these activities is to search online for books they enjoy, and let them pick one or two to read.

This will allow them to get familiar with the type of writing they enjoy. The following ideas are suggestions intended to aid creative thinking and spark inspiration for whatever direction children want to take their stories in:

• What would a day on Earth be like if mythical creatures existed? What would day-to-day be life if dragons, unicorns, mermaids and fairies wandered the streets? Write a short story about a day in your life, if mythical creatures were around.
• Imagine you were small as a bug. Describe the world from your new perspective. Do you have interactions with people? Insects or animals? Where do you go? Do you discover you have any insect-like abilities?
• Imagine you woke up one day with a superpower. What is it? Are you able to turn invisible, read minds, or fly? What is the first thing you would do with your new power and what would a day in your life look like?
• Write a diary entry as if you had travelled to another period of time. Is it Victorian England, Ancient Egypt or perhaps the Middle Ages? How do you blend in, and what new things do you learn?
• A rocket launches you to an unknown planet. You find a civilisation of aliens have already made it their own and they welcome you. Describe your experience, what you see, and what happens next. Write a short story about your adventures.

The following prompts are suggestions of an opening line that kids can use at the beginning of their story, and continue on from:

• 'The dark figure began to emerge from the mist. She could see the outline of a human-like figure as it started to get closer...'
• 'Simon did his homework, liked skateboarding and his favourite food was pizza. He thought he was an ordinary boy, until...'
• 'Deep beneath the North Sea, hidden away from human eyes, lies a great secret...'
• 'The door was painted white, with cracked paint and a small golden handle. I couldn't help but wonder what was inside...'
• 'The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the street outside was hot and quiet. But everything was about to change...  

Develop these ideas by:

-Creating illustrations to go alongside your story. Show what your characters and landscapes would look like, and make them correspond with the story.

-Thinking about other books you've been reading. How would the character you've written interact with a character from one of your favourite books?

-Making a character profile of the characters in your stories. What are their interests and hobbies? What do they like to wear? What books and films do they like? Create a drawing of your character in the middle of the page, and label different things about them in a profile down the side.

-Doing a character swap. Imagine your character found themselves in the world of another book, or vice versa. What would happen next?

-Design a front and back cover for your book. Consider the title, blurb and cover illustrations. Perhaps even make an author profile too!

For five quick and easy creative writing tasks, download your prompt sheet below!

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Diploma of Education, Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts specializing in Illustration and Visual media

Sarah Hallam Diploma of Education, Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts specializing in Illustration and Visual media

With a Diploma in Education specializing in Fine Arts (Painting) and a Bachelor of Arts specializing in Illustration and Visual media from the University of Arts London, Sarah previously was a London-based teacher who brought her passion for art and culture to the classroom. Her creative endeavors include painting classes and experimenting with new recipes. She draws inspiration from the world around her and enjoys sharing her knowledge with others while sipping a cup of tea.

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• Creative Writing Prompts Activities And Resources For Ks1 And Ks2 English

Creative writing prompts – Best activities and resources for KS1 and KS2 English

Fed up of reading 'and then…', 'and then…' in your children's writing? Try these story starters, structures, worksheets and other fun writing prompt resources for primary pupils…

What is creative writing?

How to develop opportunities for writing with choice and freedom, jump to section:.

• Writing with choice and freedom

Creative writing resources for the classroom

Creative writing prompts.

• Improving creative writing
• Overcoming the fear of creative writing

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, ‘creative’ is ‘producing or using original and unusual ideas’, yet I would argue that in writing there’s no such thing as an original idea – all stories are reincarnations of ones that have gone before.

As writers we learn to be expert magpies – selecting the shiny words, phrases and ideas from other stories and taking them for our own.  

Interestingly, the primary national curriculum does not mention creative writing or writing for pleasure at all and is focused on the skill of writing.

Therefore, if writing creatively and for pleasure is important in your school, it must be woven into your vision for English.

“Interestingly, the Primary National Curriculum does not mention creative writing or writing for pleasure at all”

Creative writing in primary schools can be broken into two parts:

• writing with choice and freedom
• developing story writing

Writing with choice and freedom allows children to write about what interests and inspires them.  

Developing story writing provides children with the skills they need to write creatively. In primary schools this is often taught in a very structured way and, particularly in the formative years, can lack opportunities for children to be creative.

Children are often told to retell a story in their own words or tweak a detail such as the setting or the main character.  

Below you’ll find plenty of creative writing prompts, suggestions and resources to help develop both writing for choice and freedom and developing story writing in your classroom. 

Here’s an interesting question to consider: if the curriculum disappeared but children still had the skills to write, would they?

I believe so – they’d still have ideas they wanted to convey and stories they wanted to share.

One of my children enjoys writing and the other is more reluctant to mark make when asked to, but both choose to write. They write notes for friends, song lyrics, stories and even business plans.

So how can we develop opportunities to write with choice and freedom in our classrooms?

Early Years classrooms are full of opportunities for children to write about what interests them, but it’s a rarer sight in KS1 and 2.  

Ask children what they want to write about

Reading for pleasure has quite rightly been prioritised in schools and the impact is clear. Many of the wonderful ideas from The Open University’s Reading For Pleasure site can be used and adapted for writing too.

For example, ask children to create a ‘writing river’ where they record the writing they choose to do across a week.

If pupils like writing about a specific thing, consider creating a short burst writing activity linked to this. The below Harry Potter creative writing activity , where children create a new character and write a paragraph about them, is an example of this approach.

If you have a spare 20 minutes, listen to the below conversation with Lucy and Jonathan from HeadteacherChat and Alex from LinkyThinks . They discuss the importance of knowing about children’s interests but also about being a writer yourself.

'The confidence Crisis in Creative Writing.' Lucy and Jonathan chat with Alex from @LinkyThinks https://t.co/VClYxiQhcf — HeadteacherChat (@Headteacherchat) August 9, 2022

Plan in time to pursue personal writing projects 

There are lots of fantastic ideas for developing writing for pleasure in your classrooms on The Writing For Pleasure Centre’s website .

One suggestion is assigning time to pursue personal writing projects. The Meadows Primary School in Madeley Heath, Staffordshire, does this termly and provides scaffolds for children who may find the choice daunting.

Give children a choice about writing implements and paper 

Sometimes the fun is in the novelty. Are there opportunities within your week to give pupils some choices about the materials they use? Ideas could include:

• little notebooks
• a roll of paper
• felt tip pens
• gel pens  

Write for real audiences 

This is a great way to develop children’s motivation to write and is easy to do.

It could be a blog, a class newsletter or pen pals. Look around in your community for opportunities to write – the local supermarket, a nearby nursing home or the library are often all good starting points.

Have a go yourself

The most successful teachers of story writing write fiction themselves.

Many adults do not write creatively and trying to teach something you have not done yourself in a long time can be difficult. By having a go you can identify the areas of difficulty alongside the thought processes required.  

Treat every child as an author

Time is always a premium in the classroom but equally, we’re all fully aware of the impact of verbal feedback.

One-to-one writing conferences have gained in popularity in primary classrooms and it’s well-worth giving these a go if you haven’t already.

Set aside time to speak to each child about the writing they’re currently constructing. Discuss what’s going well and what they could develop.

If possible, timetable these one-to-one discussions with the whole class throughout the year (ideally more often, if possible).  

Free KS2 virtual visit and resources

Bring best-selling children’s authors directly into your classroom with Author In Your Classroom. It’s a brilliant free podcast series made especially for schools, and there’s loads of free resources to download too.

More than 20 authors have recorded episodes so far, including:

• Sir Michael Morpurgo
• Dame Jacqueline Wilson
• Michael Rosen
• Joseph Coelho
• Lauren Child
• Frank Cottrell-Boyce
• Benjamin Zephaniah
• Cressida Cowell
• Robin Stevens

Creative writing exercises

Use these inspiring writing templates from Rachel Clarke to inspire pupils who find it difficult to get their thoughts down on the page. The structured creative writing prompts and activities, which range from writing a ‘ through the portal story ‘ to a character creation activity that involves making your own Top Trumps style cards, will help inexperienced writers to get started.

Storyboard templates and story structures

Whether it’s short stories, comic strips or filmmaking, every tale needs the right structure to be told well. This storyboard template resource will help your children develop the skills required to add that foundation to their creative writing.

Ten-minute activities 

The idea of fitting another thing into the school day can feel overwhelming, so start with small creative writing activities once a fortnight. Below are a few ideas that have endless possibilities.

Character capers

You need a 1-6 dice for this activity. Roll it three to find out who your character is, what their personality is and what job they do, then think about the following:

• Can you draw them?
• What questions would you ask them if you met them?
• What might their answers be?
• If they were the main character in a story, what might happen?

Download our character capers worksheet .

Setting soup

In this activity pupils Look at the four photos and fill in a mind map for one of the settings, focusing on what they’d see, hear, feel, smell and feel in that location. They then write an ingredients list for their setting, such as:

• A dollop of calmness 
• A drizzle of a beautiful sunset 
• A generous helping of a still ocean 
• Copious amounts of smooth sand 
• A spattering of lush, green palm trees 

Download our setting soup worksheet .

Use consequences to generate story ideas

Start with a game of drawing consequences – this is a great way of building a new character.

Next, play a similar game but write a story. Here’s an example . Download our free writing consequences template to get started.

Roll and write a story

For this quick activity, children roll a dice three times to choose a setting and two characters – for example, a theme park, an explorer and a mythical creature. They then use the results to create an outline for a story.

Got more than ten minutes? Use the outline to write a complete story. Alternatively, use the results to create a book cover and blurb or, with a younger group of children, do the activity as a class then draw or write about the outcome.

Download our roll and write a story worksheet .

Scavenger hunt

Give children something to hide and tell them they have to write five clues in pairs, taking another pair from one clue to the next until the 5th clue leads them to the hidden item.

For a challenge, the clues could be riddles.  

Set up pen pals. This might be with children in another country or school, or it could simply be with another class.

What do pupils want to say or share? It might be a letter, but it could be a comic strip, poem or pop-up book.  

You need a log-in to access Authorfy’s content but it’s free. The website is crammed with every children’s author imaginable, talking about their books and inspirations and setting writing challenges. It’s a great tool to inspire and enthuse.  

There are lots of great resources and videos on Oxford Owl which are free to access and will provide children with quick bursts of creativity.  

Creative writing ideas for KS2

This free Pie Corbett Ultimate KS2 fiction collection is packed with original short stories from the man himself, and a selection of teaching resources he’s created to accompany each one.

Each creative writing activity will help every young writer get their creative juices flowing and overcome writer’s block.

WAGOLL text types

​Support pupils when writing across a whole range of text types and genres with these engaging writing packs from Plazoom , differentiated for KS1, LKS2 and UKS2.

They feature:

• model texts (demonstrating WAGOLL for learners)
• planning guides
• writing templates
• themed paper

Each one focuses on a particular kind of text, encouraging children to make appropriate vocabulary, register and layout choices, and produce the very best writing of which they are capable, which can be used for evidence of progress.

If you teach KS2, start off by exploring fairy tales with a twist , or choose from 50+ other options .

Scaffolds and plot types

A great way to support children with planning stories with structures, this creative writing scaffolds and plot types resource pack contains five story summaries, each covering a different plot type, which they can use as a story idea.

It has often been suggested that there are only seven basic plots a story can use, and here you’ll find text summaries for five of these:

• Overcoming the monster
• Rags to riches
• Voyage and return

After familiarising themselves with these texts, children can adapt and change these stories to create tales of their own.

Use story starters

If some children still need a bit of a push in the right direction, check out our 6 superb story starters to develop creative writing skills . This list features a range of free story starter resources, including animations (like the one above) and even the odd iguana…

Use word mats to inspire

Help pupils to write independently by providing them with helpful vocabulary sheets that they can pick and choose from when doing their own creative writing.

Download our free creative writing word mats here , including:

• Create a spooky atmosphere
• Write an adventure story
• Describe a character’s appearance
• Describe a character’s personality
• Describe how a character moves
• Describe how a character speaks
• Describe a mythical beast

Creative writing pictures

Using images as writing prompts is nothing new, but it’s fun and effective.

Pobble 365 has an inspiring photo for every day of the year. These are great inspiration for ten-minute free writing activities. You need to log in to Pobble but access to Pobble 365 (the pictures) is free.  

Choose two pictures as prompts (you can access every picture for the year in the calendar) or provide children with a range of starter prompts.

For example, with the photo above you might ask children to complete one of the following activities: 

• Continue the story using the story starters on Pobble. 
• Write down what your dream day would include. 
• Create a superhero called Dolphin Dude.  
• If you didn’t need to breath when swimming underwater, what would you do? Write about your dream day. It might include rivers, lakes, swimming pools, the seas or oceans.  
• If you had a super power, what would it be and why?  

The Literacy Shed

Website The Literacy Shed has a page dedicated to interesting pictures for creative writing . There are winter scenes, abandoned places, landscapes, woodlands, pathways, statues and even flying houses.

The Literacy Shed also hosts video clips for inspiring writing and is choc-full of ways to use them. The Night Zookeeper Shed is well worth a visit. There are short videos, activities and resources to inspire creative writing.

Once Upon a Picture

Once Upon a Picture is another site packed with creative writing picture prompts , but its focus is more on illustrations than photography, so its offering is great for letting little imaginations soar.

Each one comes with questions for kids to consider, or activities to carry out.

How to improve creative writing

Developing story writing .

If you decided to climb a mountain, in order to be successful you’d need to be well-equipped and you’d need to have practised with smaller climbs first.

The same is true of creative writing: to be successful you need to be well-equipped with the skills of writing and have had plenty of opportunities to practise.  

As a teachers you need to plan with this in mind – develop a writing journey which allows children to learn the art of story writing by studying stories of a similar style, focusing on how effects are created and scaffolding children’s writing activities so they achieve success.  

• Choose a focus When planning, consider what skill you want to embed for children and have that as your focus throughout the sequence of learning. For example, if you teach Y4 you might decide to focus on integrating speech into stories. When your class looks at a similar story, draw their attention to how the author uses speech and discuss how it advances the action and shows you more about the characters. During the sequence, your class can practise the technical side of writing speech (new line/new speaker, end punctuation, etc). When they come to write their own story, your success criteria will be focused on using speech effectively. By doing this, the skill of using speech is embedded. If you chose to focus on ALL the elements of story writing that a Y4 child should be using (fronted adverbials, conjunctions, expanded noun phrases, etc), this might lead to cognitive overload.
• Plan in chances to be creative Often teachers plan three writing opportunities: one where children retell the story, one with a slight difference (eg a different main character) and a final one where children invent their own story. However, in my experience, the third piece of writing often never happens because children have lost interest or time has run out. If we equip children with the skills, we must allow them time to use them.
• Utilise paired writing Children love to collaborate and by working in pairs it actually helps develop independence. Give it a go!  
• Find opportunities for real audiences Nothing is more motivating than knowing you will get to share your story with another class, a parent or the local nursing home.
• Use high-quality stimuli If your focus is speech, find a great novel for kids that uses speech effectively. There are so many excellent children’s stories available that there’s no need to write your own.
• Use magpie books This is somewhere where children can note down any great words or phrases they find from their reading. It will get them reading as a writer. 

Below is a rough outline of a planning format that leads to successful writing opportunities.

This sequence of learning takes around three weeks but may be longer or shorter, depending on the writing type.  

Before planning out the learning, decide on up to three key focuses for the sequence. Think about the potential learning opportunities that the stimuli supports (eg don’t focus on direct speech if you’re writing non-chronological reports ).  

Ways to overcome fear of creative writing

Many children are inhibited in their writing for a variety of reasons. These include the all-too-familiar ‘fear of the blank page’ (“I can’t think of anything to write about!” is a common lament), trying to get all the technical aspects right as they compose their work (a sense of being ‘overwhelmed’), and the fact that much of children’s success in school is underpinned by an ethos of competitiveness and comparison, which can lead to a fear of failure and a lack of desire to try.

Any steps we can take to diminish these anxieties means that children will feel increasingly motivated to write, and so enjoy their writing more. This in turn will lead to the development of skills in all areas of writing, with the broader benefits this brings more generally in children’s education.

Here are some easily applied and simple ideas from author and school workshop provider Steve Bowkett for boosting self-confidence in writing.

• Keep it creative Make creative writing a regular activity. High priority is given to spelling, punctuation and grammar, but these need a context to be properly understood. Teaching the technicalities of language without giving children meaningful opportunities to apply them is like telling people the names of a car engine’s parts without helping them learn to drive.
• Model the behaviour In other words, when you want your class to write a story or poem, have a go yourself and be upfront about the difficulties you encounter in trying to translate your thoughts into words.
• Go easy on the grammar Encourage children to write without them necessarily trying to remember and apply a raft of grammatical rules. An old saying has it that we should ‘learn the rules well and then forget them’. Learning how to use punctuation, for instance, is necessary and valuable, but when children try and apply the rules consciously and laboriously as they go along, the creative flow can be stifled. Consideration of rules should, however, be an important element of the editing process.
• Keep assessment focused Where you do require children to focus on rules during composition, pick just one or two they can bear in mind as they write. Explain that you will mark for these without necessarily correcting other areas of GaPS. Not only will this save you time, but also children will be spared the demotivating sight of their writing covered in corrections (which many are unlikely to read).
• Value effort If a child tries hard but produces work that is technically poor, celebrate his achievement in making an effort and apply the old ‘three stars and a wish’ technique to the work by finding three points you can praise followed by noting one area where improvements can be made.
• Leave room for improvement Make clear that it’s fine for children to change their minds, and that there is no expectation for them to ‘get it all right’ first time. Show the class before and after drafts from the work of well-known poets and extracts from stories. Where these have been hand written, they are often untidy and peppered with crossings out and other annotations as the writers tried to clarify their thoughts. If you have the facilities, invite children to word process their stories using the ‘track changes’ facility. Encourage children to show their workings out, as you would do in maths.
• Don’t strive for perfection Slay the ‘practice makes perfect’ dragon. It’s a glib phrase and also an inaccurate one. Telling children that practice makes better is a sound piece of advice. But how could we ever say that a story or poem is perfect? Even highly experienced authors strive to improve.
• Come back later Leave some time – a couple of days will do – between children writing a piece and editing or redrafting it. This is often known as the ‘cooling off’ period. Many children will find that they come back to their work with fresh eyes that enable them to pick out more errors, and with new ideas for improving the piece structurally.
• Try diamond 9 Use the diamond ranking tool to help children assess their own work. Give each child some scraps of paper or card and have them write on each an aspect of their writing, such as creating strong characters, controlling pace and tension, describing places and things, using ‘punchy’ verbs etc. Supply these elements as necessary, but allow children some leeway to think of examples of their own. Now ask each child to physically arrange these scraps according to how effectively they were used in the latest piece of work. So two writing elements that a child thinks are equally strong will be placed side by side, while an aspect of the work a child is pleased with will be placed above one that he / she is not so happy with.
• Keep it varied Vary the writing tasks. By this I mean it’s not necessary to ask children always to write a complete story. Get them to create just an opening scene for example, or a vivid character description, or an exciting story climax. If more-reluctant writers think they haven’t got to write much they might be more motivated to have a go. Varying the tasks also helps to keep the process of writing fresh, while the results can form resource banks (of characters, scenes, etc) for future use.
• Help each other Highlight the idea that everyone in the class, including yourself, forms a community of writers. Here, difficulties can be aired, advice can be shared and successes can be celebrated as we all strive to ‘dare to do it and do our best’.

Browse more ideas for National Writing Day .

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Mighty Writer Blog

Lesson plan: teaching creative writing for key stage one, teaching creative writing for key stage one .

In this lesson plan, we will outline a step-by-step approach to help you inspire and guide your Key Stage One pupils in their creative writing journey. This lesson plan is designed to be flexible, allowing you to adapt it to meet the needs of your class. 

Lesson Plan 

Objective: .

To develop pupils' creative writing skills by encouraging imagination and storytelling. 

Materials: 

Paper and pencils 

Story prompts or picture cards 

A collection of children's books 

Duration: 

Approximately 60 minutes 

Plan: 

Begin the lesson by reading a short story to the class. Choose a book that demonstrates creative storytelling and engages the children’s imagination. 

After reading, facilitate a class discussion about the story. Ask questions such as: 

What did you like about the story? 

What was the most exciting part? 

Could you imagine yourself in the story? 

Introduce the concept of creative writing by explaining that it is a way to tell stories using our own imaginations. Emphasise that there are no right or wrong answers in creative writing. 

Provide story prompts or picture cards to each child. Encourage them to choose one that sparks their interest or imagination. 

Ask the students to spend a few minutes thinking about their chosen prompt and creating a rough plan for their story. They can jot down key ideas or draw a simple story map. 

Once the pupils have their plans, give them time to write their stories. Remind them to focus on using descriptive language and creating interesting characters and settings. 

While the children are writing, circulate around the classroom to provide support and guidance. Offer suggestions for expanding ideas or improving sentence structure. 

Once everyone has finished writing, invite volunteers to share their stories with the class. Encourage positive feedback and discussion about the different ideas and approaches. 

This lesson plan is just a starting point for teaching creative writing to Key Stage One children. Encourage your pupils to continue practicing their writing skills by providing regular opportunities for creative expression. Remember, the more they write, the more confident and skilled they will become.  

Have fun exploring the world of words and imagination with your young writers! 

How Can Mighty Writer Help? 

Mighty Writer is a tactile writing resource, for those children who respond best to visual or interactive-based learning approaches it is ideal because they get to see the icon that corresponds to the idea in their minds and physically place it into the story. 

Mighty Writer can help to develop a child’s:  

Confidence in generating and sharing ideas 

Imagination 

Ability to speak in sentences  

Creation of sentences 

Understanding story structure 

Reviewing and editing skills 

And much more. 

Ready to learn more about Mighty Writer? Download our free teachers' guide resource today! Click below!

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Primary English: Creative writing

Australia and new zealand, primary english, tes resources team.

Let young learners' imaginations run wild with help from these creative writing resources

Creative writing can be one of the most rewarding aspects of literacy, however the terror of a blank page can panic even the most willing writers in your class. So, to make sure every pupil has the confidence to put pen to paper, we've hand-picked this selection of lessons, activities and help sheets, all created by the Tes community.

My Lunch is Alive! KS2 creative writing resource

Rainforest Poetry

Creative writing worksheets for KS2

Writing Narratives KS2 Knowledge Organisers Bundle!

Creative Writing Story Prompts

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Story Writing Planning Template

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Differentiated story mountain

KS2 poetry - write a poem about the seasons

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• Education, training and skills

School curriculum

• Secondary curriculum, key stage 3 and key stage 4 (GCSEs)
• GCSE subject content and requirements

National curriculum in England: English programmes of study

• Department for Education

Updated 16 July 2014

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2014

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-english-programmes-of-study

Purpose of study

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others, and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written language, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate

Spoken language

The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing. Teachers should therefore ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills. Pupils should develop a capacity to explain their understanding of books and other reading, and to prepare their ideas before they write. They must be assisted in making their thinking clear to themselves as well as to others, and teachers should ensure that pupils build secure foundations by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions. Pupils should also be taught to understand and use the conventions for discussion and debate.

All pupils should be enabled to participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama. Pupils should be able to adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role. They should have opportunities to improvise, devise and script drama for one another and a range of audiences, as well as to rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama and theatre performances.

Statutory requirements which underpin all aspects of spoken language across the 6 years of primary education form part of the national curriculum. These are reflected and contextualised within the reading and writing domains which follow.

The programmes of study for reading at key stages 1 and 2 consist of 2 dimensions:

• word reading
• comprehension (both listening and reading)

It is essential that teaching focuses on developing pupils’ competence in both dimensions; different kinds of teaching are needed for each.

Skilled word reading involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Underpinning both is the understanding that the letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words. This is why phonics should be emphasised in the early teaching of reading to beginners (ie unskilled readers) when they start school.

Good comprehension draws from linguistic knowledge (in particular of vocabulary and grammar) and on knowledge of the world. Comprehension skills develop through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussion with the teacher, as well as from reading and discussing a range of stories, poems and non-fiction. All pupils must be encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world they live in, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. Reading widely and often increases pupils’ vocabulary because they encounter words they would rarely hear or use in everyday speech. Reading also feeds pupils’ imagination and opens up a treasure house of wonder and joy for curious young minds.

It is essential that, by the end of their primary education, all pupils are able to read fluently, and with confidence, in any subject in their forthcoming secondary education.

The programmes of study for writing at key stages 1 and 2 are constructed similarly to those for reading:

• transcription (spelling and handwriting)
• composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing)

It is essential that teaching develops pupils’ competence in these 2 dimensions. In addition, pupils should be taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing. These aspects of writing have been incorporated into the programmes of study for composition.

Writing down ideas fluently depends on effective transcription: that is, on spelling quickly and accurately through knowing the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) and understanding the morphology (word structure) and orthography (spelling structure) of words. Effective composition involves articulating and communicating ideas, and then organising them coherently for a reader. This requires clarity, awareness of the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Writing also depends on fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting.

Spelling, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and glossary

The 2 statutory appendices – on spelling and on vocabulary, grammar and punctuation – give an overview of the specific features that should be included in teaching the programmes of study.

Opportunities for teachers to enhance pupils’ vocabulary arise naturally from their reading and writing. As vocabulary increases, teachers should show pupils how to understand the relationships between words, how to understand nuances in meaning, and how to develop their understanding of, and ability to use, figurative language. They should also teach pupils how to work out and clarify the meanings of unknown words and words with more than 1 meaning. References to developing pupils’ vocabulary are also included in the appendices.

Pupils should be taught to control their speaking and writing consciously and to use Standard English. They should be taught to use the elements of spelling, grammar, punctuation and ‘language about language’ listed. This is not intended to constrain or restrict teachers’ creativity, but simply to provide the structure on which they can construct exciting lessons. A non-statutory glossary is provided for teachers. Throughout the programmes of study, teachers should teach pupils the vocabulary they need to discuss their reading, writing and spoken language. It is important that pupils learn the correct grammatical terms in English and that these terms are integrated within teaching.

The programmes of study for English are set out year-by-year for key stage 1 and two-yearly for key stage 2. The single year blocks at key stage 1 reflect the rapid pace of development in word reading during these 2 years. Schools are, however, only required to teach the relevant programme of study by the end of the key stage. Within each key stage, schools therefore have the flexibility to introduce content earlier or later than set out in the programme of study. In addition, schools can introduce key stage content during an earlier key stage if appropriate. All schools are also required to set out their school curriculum for English on a year-by-year basis and make this information available online.

Attainment targets

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.

Schools are not required by law to teach the example content in [square brackets] or the content indicated as being ‘non-statutory’.

Spoken language – years 1 to 6

Pupils should be taught to:

• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
• use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
• articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
• give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
• maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
• use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas
• speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
• participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play/improvisations and debates
• gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
• consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
• select and use appropriate registers for effective communication

Notes and guidance (non-statutory)

These statements apply to all years. The content should be taught at a level appropriate to the age of the pupils. Pupils should build on the oral language skills that have been taught in preceding years.

Pupils should be taught to develop their competence in spoken language and listening to enhance the effectiveness of their communication across a range of contexts and to a range of audiences. They should therefore have opportunities to work in groups of different sizes – in pairs, small groups, large groups and as a whole class. Pupils should understand how to take turns and when and how to participate constructively in conversations and debates.

Teachers should also pay attention to increasing pupils’ vocabulary, ranging from describing their immediate world and feelings to developing a broader, deeper and richer vocabulary to discuss abstract concepts and a wider range of topics, and enhancing their knowledge about language as a whole.

Pupils should receive constructive feedback on their spoken language and listening, not only to improve their knowledge and skills but also to establish secure foundations for effective spoken language in their studies at primary school, helping them to achieve in secondary education and beyond.

Key stage 1 - year 1

During year 1, teachers should build on work from the early years foundation stage, making sure that pupils can sound and blend unfamiliar printed words quickly and accurately using the phonic knowledge and skills that they have already learnt. Teachers should also ensure that pupils continue to learn new grapheme-phoneme correspondences ( GPCs ) and revise and consolidate those learnt earlier. The understanding that the letter(s) on the page represent the sounds in spoken words should underpin pupils’ reading and spelling of all words. This includes common words containing unusual GPCs . The term ‘common exception words’ is used throughout the programmes of study for such words.

Alongside this knowledge of GPCs , pupils need to develop the skill of blending the sounds into words for reading and establish the habit of applying this skill whenever they encounter new words. This will be supported by practice in reading books consistent with their developing phonic knowledge and skill and their knowledge of common exception words. At the same time they will need to hear, share and discuss a wide range of high-quality books to develop a love of reading and broaden their vocabulary.

Pupils should be helped to read words without overt sounding and blending after a few encounters. Those who are slow to develop this skill should have extra practice.

Pupils’ writing during year 1 will generally develop at a slower pace than their reading. This is because they need to encode the sounds they hear in words (spelling skills), develop the physical skill needed for handwriting, and learn how to organise their ideas in writing.

Pupils entering year 1 who have not yet met the early learning goals for literacy should continue to follow their school’s curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage to develop their word reading, spelling and language skills. However, these pupils should follow the year 1 programme of study in terms of the books they listen to and discuss, so that they develop their vocabulary and understanding of grammar, as well as their knowledge more generally across the curriculum. If they are still struggling to decode and spell, they need to be taught to do this urgently through a rigorous and systematic phonics programme so that they catch up rapidly.

Teachers should ensure that their teaching develops pupils’ oral vocabulary as well as their ability to understand and use a variety of grammatical structures, giving particular support to pupils whose oral language skills are insufficiently developed.

Year 1 programme of study

Reading - word reading.

• apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words
• respond speedily with the correct sound to graphemes (letters or groups of letters) for all 40+ phonemes, including, where applicable, alternative sounds for graphemes
• read accurately by blending sounds in unfamiliar words containing GPCs that have been taught
• read common exception words, noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word
• read words containing taught GPCs and –s, –es, –ing, –ed, –er and –est endings
• read other words of more than one syllable that contain taught GPCs
• read words with contractions [for example, I’m, I’ll, we’ll], and understand that the apostrophe represents the omitted letter(s)
• read books aloud, accurately, that are consistent with their developing phonic knowledge and that do not require them to use other strategies to work out words
• reread these books to build up their fluency and confidence in word reading

Pupils should revise and consolidate the GPCs and the common exception words taught in reception year. As soon as they can read words comprising the year 1 GPCs accurately and speedily, they should move on to the year 2 programme of study for word reading.

The number, order and choice of exception words taught will vary according to the phonics programme being used. Ensuring that pupils are aware of the GPCs they contain, however unusual these are, supports spelling later.

Young readers encounter words that they have not seen before much more frequently than experienced readers do, and they may not know the meaning of some of these. Practice at reading such words by sounding and blending can provide opportunities not only for pupils to develop confidence in their decoding skills, but also for teachers to explain the meaning and thus develop pupils’ vocabulary.

Pupils should be taught how to read words with suffixes by being helped to build on the root words that they can read already. Pupils’ reading and rereading of books that are closely matched to their developing phonic knowledge and knowledge of common exception words supports their fluency, as well as increasing their confidence in their reading skills. Fluent word reading greatly assists comprehension, especially when pupils come to read longer books.

Reading - comprehension

• listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• being encouraged to link what they read or hear to their own experiences
• becoming very familiar with key stories, fairy stories and traditional tales, retelling them and considering their particular characteristics
• recognising and joining in with predictable phrases
• learning to appreciate rhymes and poems, and to recite some by heart
• discussing word meanings, linking new meanings to those already known
• drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher
• checking that the text makes sense to them as they read, and correcting inaccurate reading
• discussing the significance of the title and events
• making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done
• predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• participate in discussion about what is read to them, taking turns and listening to what others say
• explain clearly their understanding of what is read to them

Pupils should have extensive experience of listening to, sharing and discussing a wide range of high-quality books with the teacher, other adults and each other to engender a love of reading at the same time as they are reading independently.

Pupils’ vocabulary should be developed when they listen to books read aloud and when they discuss what they have heard. Such vocabulary can also feed into their writing. Knowing the meaning of more words increases pupils’ chances of understanding when they read by themselves. The meaning of some new words should be introduced to pupils before they start to read on their own, so that these unknown words do not hold up their comprehension.

However, once pupils have already decoded words successfully, the meaning of those that are new to them can be discussed with them, thus contributing to developing their early skills of inference. By listening frequently to stories, poems and non-fiction that they cannot yet read for themselves, pupils begin to understand how written language can be structured in order, for example, to build surprise in narratives or to present facts in non-fiction. Listening to and discussing information books and other non-fiction establishes the foundations for their learning in other subjects. Pupils should be shown some of the processes for finding out information.

Through listening, pupils also start to learn how language sounds and increase their vocabulary and awareness of grammatical structures. In due course, they will be able to draw on such grammar in their own writing.

Rules for effective discussions should be agreed with and demonstrated for pupils. They should help to develop and evaluate them, with the expectation that everyone takes part. Pupils should be helped to consider the opinions of others.

Role play can help pupils to identify with and explore characters and to try out the language they have listened to.

Writing - transcription

Spelling - see english appendix 1.

• words containing each of the 40+ phonemes already taught
• common exception words
• the days of the week
• naming the letters of the alphabet in order
• using letter names to distinguish between alternative spellings of the same sound
• using the spelling rule for adding –s or –es as the plural marker for nouns and the third person singular marker for verbs
• using the prefix un–
• using –ing, –ed, –er and –est where no change is needed in the spelling of root words [for example, helping, helped, helper, eating, quicker, quickest]

apply simple spelling rules and guidance, as listed in English appendix 1

• write from memory simple sentences dictated by the teacher that include words using the GPCs and common exception words taught so far

Reading should be taught alongside spelling, so that pupils understand that they can read back words they have spelt.

Pupils should be shown how to segment spoken words into individual phonemes and then how to represent the phonemes by the appropriate grapheme(s). It is important to recognise that phoneme-grapheme correspondences (which underpin spelling) are more variable than grapheme-phoneme correspondences (which underpin reading). For this reason, pupils need to do much more word-specific rehearsal for spelling than for reading.

At this stage pupils will be spelling some words in a phonically plausible way, even if sometimes incorrectly. Misspellings of words that pupils have been taught to spell should be corrected; other misspelt words should be used to teach pupils about alternative ways of representing those sounds.

Writing simple dictated sentences that include words taught so far gives pupils opportunities to apply and practise their spelling.

Handwriting

• sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
• begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• form capital letters
• form digits 0-9
• understand which letters belong to which handwriting ‘families’ (ie letters that are formed in similar ways) and to practise these

Handwriting requires frequent and discrete, direct teaching. Pupils should be able to form letters correctly and confidently. The size of the writing implement (pencil, pen) should not be too large for a young pupil’s hand. Whatever is being used should allow the pupil to hold it easily and correctly so that bad habits are avoided.

Left-handed pupils should receive specific teaching to meet their needs.

Writing - composition

• saying out loud what they are going to write about
• composing a sentence orally before writing it
• sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• read their writing aloud, clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher

At the beginning of year 1, not all pupils will have the spelling and handwriting skills they need to write down everything that they can compose out loud.

Pupils should understand, through demonstration, the skills and processes essential to writing: that is, thinking aloud as they collect ideas, drafting, and rereading to check their meaning is clear.

Writing - vocabulary, grammar and punctuation

• leaving spaces between words
• joining words and joining clauses using ‘and’
• beginning to punctuate sentences using a capital letter and a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
• using a capital letter for names of people, places, the days of the week, and the personal pronoun ‘I’
• learning the grammar for year 1 in English appendix 2
• use the grammatical terminology in English English appendix 2 in discussing their writing

Pupils should be taught to recognise sentence boundaries in spoken sentences and to use the vocabulary listed in English appendix 2 (‘Terminology for pupils’) when their writing is discussed.

Pupils should begin to use some of the distinctive features of Standard English in their writing. ‘Standard English’ is defined in the glossary .

Key stage 1 - year 2

By the beginning of year 2, pupils should be able to read all common graphemes. They should be able to read unfamiliar words containing these graphemes, accurately and without undue hesitation, by sounding them out in books that are matched closely to each pupil’s level of word-reading knowledge. They should also be able to read many common words containing GPCs taught so far [for example, shout, hand, stop, or dream], without needing to blend the sounds out loud first. Pupils’ reading of common exception words [for example, you, could, many, or people], should be secure. Pupils will increase their fluency by being able to read these words easily and automatically. Finally, pupils should be able to retell some familiar stories that have been read to and discussed with them or that they have acted out during year 1.

During year 2, teachers should continue to focus on establishing pupils’ accurate and speedy word-reading skills. They should also make sure that pupils listen to and discuss a wide range of stories, poems, plays and information books; this should include whole books. The sooner that pupils can read well and do so frequently, the sooner they will be able to increase their vocabulary, comprehension and their knowledge across the wider curriculum.

In writing, pupils at the beginning of year 2 should be able to compose individual sentences orally and then write them down. They should be able to spell many of the words covered in year 1 correctly - see English appendix 1 . They should also be able to make phonically plausible attempts to spell words they have not yet learnt. Finally, they should be able to form individual letters correctly, establishing good handwriting habits from the beginning.

It is important to recognise that pupils begin to meet extra challenges in terms of spelling during year 2. Increasingly, they should learn that there is not always an obvious connection between the way a word is said and the way it is spelt. Variations include different ways of spelling the same sound, the use of so-called silent letters and groups of letters in some words and, sometimes, spelling that has become separated from the way that words are now pronounced, such as the ‘le’ ending in table. Pupils’ motor skills also need to be sufficiently advanced for them to write down ideas that they may be able to compose orally. In addition, writing is intrinsically harder than reading: pupils are likely to be able to read and understand more complex writing (in terms of its vocabulary and structure) than they are capable of producing themselves.

For pupils who do not have the phonic knowledge and skills they need for year 2, teachers should use the year 1 programmes of study for word reading and spelling so that pupils’ word-reading skills catch up. However, teachers should use the year 2 programme of study for comprehension so that these pupils hear and talk about new books, poems, other writing, and vocabulary with the rest of the class.

Year 2 programme of study

• continue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words until automatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent
• read accurately by blending the sounds in words that contain the graphemes taught so far, especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes
• read accurately words of two or more syllables that contain the same graphemes as above
• read words containing common suffixes
• read further common exception words, noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word
• read most words quickly and accurately, without overt sounding and blending, when they have been frequently encountered
• read aloud books closely matched to their improving phonic knowledge, sounding out unfamiliar words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation

Pupils should revise and consolidate the GPCs and the common exception words taught in year 1. The exception words taught will vary slightly, depending on the phonics programme being used. As soon as pupils can read words comprising the year 2 GPCs accurately and speedily, they should move on to the years 3 and 4 programme of study for word reading.

When pupils are taught how to read longer words, they should be shown syllable boundaries and how to read each syllable separately before they combine them to read the word.

Pupils should be taught how to read suffixes by building on the root words that they have already learnt. The whole suffix should be taught as well as the letters that make it up.

Pupils who are still at the early stages of learning to read should have ample practice in reading books that are closely matched to their developing phonic knowledge and knowledge of common exception words. As soon as the decoding of most regular words and common exception words is embedded fully, the range of books that pupils can read independently will expand rapidly. Pupils should have opportunities to exercise choice in selecting books and be taught how to do so.

• listening to, discussing and expressing views about a wide range of contemporary and classic poetry, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• discussing the sequence of events in books and how items of information are related
• becoming increasingly familiar with and retelling a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales
• being introduced to non-fiction books that are structured in different ways
• recognising simple recurring literary language in stories and poetry
• discussing and clarifying the meanings of words, linking new meanings to known vocabulary
• discussing their favourite words and phrases
• continuing to build up a repertoire of poems learnt by heart, appreciating these and reciting some, with appropriate intonation to make the meaning clear
• answering and asking questions
• participate in discussion about books, poems and other works that are read to them and those that they can read for themselves, taking turns and listening to what others say
• explain and discuss their understanding of books, poems and other material, both those that they listen to and those that they read for themselves

Pupils should be encouraged to read all the words in a sentence and to do this accurately, so that their understanding of what they read is not hindered by imprecise decoding (for example, by reading ‘place’ instead of ‘palace’).

Pupils should monitor what they read, checking that the word they have decoded fits in with what else they have read and makes sense in the context of what they already know about the topic.

The meaning of new words should be explained to pupils within the context of what they are reading, and they should be encouraged to use morphology (such as prefixes) to work out unknown words.

Pupils should learn about cause and effect in both narrative and non-fiction (for example, what has prompted a character’s behaviour in a story; why certain dates are commemorated annually). ‘Thinking aloud’ when reading to pupils may help them to understand what skilled readers do.

Deliberate steps should be taken to increase pupils’ vocabulary and their awareness of grammar so that they continue to understand the differences between spoken and written language.

Discussion should be demonstrated to pupils. They should be guided to participate in it and they should be helped to consider the opinions of others. They should receive feedback on their discussions.

Role play and other drama techniques can help pupils to identify with and explore characters. In these ways, they extend their understanding of what they read and have opportunities to try out the language they have listened to.

• segmenting spoken words into phonemes and representing these by graphemes, spelling many correctly
• learning new ways of spelling phonemes for which 1 or more spellings are already known, and learn some words with each spelling, including a few common homophones
• learning to spell common exception words
• learning to spell more words with contracted forms
• learning the possessive apostrophe (singular) [for example, the girl’s book]
• distinguishing between homophones and near-homophones
• add suffixes to spell longer words including –ment, –ness, –ful, –less, –ly
• apply spelling rules and guidance, as listed in English appendix 1
• write from memory simple sentences dictated by the teacher that include words using the GPCs , common exception words and punctuation taught so far

In year 2, pupils move towards more word-specific knowledge of spelling, including homophones. The process of spelling should be emphasised: that is, that spelling involves segmenting spoken words into phonemes and then representing all the phonemes by graphemes in the right order. Pupils should do this both for single-syllable and polysyllabic words.

At this stage, children’s spelling should be phonically plausible, even if not always correct. Misspellings of words that pupils have been taught to spell should be corrected; other misspelt words can be used as an opportunity to teach pupils about alternative ways of representing those sounds.

Pupils should be encouraged to apply their knowledge of suffixes from their word reading to their spelling. They should also draw from and apply their growing knowledge of word and spelling structure, as well as their knowledge of root words.

• form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another
• start using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined
• write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower-case letters
• use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters

Pupils should revise and practise correct letter formation frequently. They should be taught to write with a joined style as soon as they can form letters securely with the correct orientation.

• writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional)
• writing about real events
• writing poetry
• writing for different purposes
• planning or saying out loud what they are going to write about
• writing down ideas and/or key words, including new vocabulary
• encapsulating what they want to say, sentence by sentence
• evaluating their writing with the teacher and other pupils
• rereading to check that their writing makes sense and that verbs to indicate time are used correctly and consistently, including verbs in the continuous form
• proofreading to check for errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation (for example, ends of sentences punctuated correctly)
• read aloud what they have written with appropriate intonation to make the meaning clear

Reading and listening to whole books, not simply extracts, helps pupils to increase their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge, including their knowledge of the vocabulary and grammar of Standard English. These activities also help them to understand how different types of writing, including narratives, are structured. All these can be drawn on for their writing.

Pupils should understand, through being shown these, the skills and processes essential to writing: that is, thinking aloud as they collect ideas, drafting, and rereading to check their meaning is clear.

Drama and role play can contribute to the quality of pupils’ writing by providing opportunities for pupils to develop and order their ideas through playing roles and improvising scenes in various settings.

Pupils might draw on and use new vocabulary from their reading, their discussions about it (one-to-one and as a whole class) and from their wider experiences.

• learning how to use both familiar and new punctuation correctly - see English appendix 2 , including full stops, capital letters, exclamation marks, question marks, commas for lists and apostrophes for contracted forms and the possessive (singular)
• learn how to use:
• sentences with different forms: statement, question, exclamation, command
• expanded noun phrases to describe and specify [for example, the blue butterfly]
• the present and past tenses correctly and consistently, including the progressive form
• subordination (using when, if, that, or because) and co-ordination (using or, and, or but)
• the grammar for year 2 in English appendix 2
• some features of written Standard English
• use and understand the grammatical terminology in English appendix 2 in discussing their writing

The terms for discussing language should be embedded for pupils in the course of discussing their writing with them. Their attention should be drawn to the technical terms they need to learn.

Lower key stage 2 – years 3 and 4

By the beginning of year 3, pupils should be able to read books written at an age-appropriate interest level. They should be able to read them accurately and at a speed that is sufficient for them to focus on understanding what they read rather than on decoding individual words. They should be able to decode most new words outside their spoken vocabulary, making a good approximation to the word’s pronunciation. As their decoding skills become increasingly secure, teaching should be directed more towards developing their vocabulary and the breadth and depth of their reading, making sure that they become independent, fluent and enthusiastic readers who read widely and frequently. They should be developing their understanding and enjoyment of stories, poetry, plays and non-fiction, and learning to read silently. They should also be developing their knowledge and skills in reading non-fiction about a wide range of subjects. They should be learning to justify their views about what they have read: with support at the start of year 3 and increasingly independently by the end of year 4.

Pupils should be able to write down their ideas with a reasonable degree of accuracy and with good sentence punctuation. Teachers should therefore be consolidating pupils’ writing skills, their vocabulary, their grasp of sentence structure and their knowledge of linguistic terminology. Teaching them to develop as writers involves teaching them to enhance the effectiveness of what they write as well as increasing their competence. Teachers should make sure that pupils build on what they have learnt, particularly in terms of the range of their writing and the more varied grammar, vocabulary and narrative structures from which they can draw to express their ideas. Pupils should be beginning to understand how writing can be different from speech. Joined handwriting should be the norm; pupils should be able to use it fast enough to keep pace with what they want to say.

Pupils’ spelling of common words should be correct, including common exception words and other words that they have learnt - see English appendix 1 . Pupils should spell words as accurately as possible using their phonic knowledge and other knowledge of spelling, such as morphology and etymology.

Most pupils will not need further direct teaching of word reading skills: they are able to decode unfamiliar words accurately, and need very few repeated experiences of this before the word is stored in such a way that they can read it without overt sound-blending. They should demonstrate understanding of figurative language, distinguish shades of meaning among related words and use age-appropriate, academic vocabulary.

As in key stage 1, however, pupils who are still struggling to decode need to be taught to do this urgently through a rigorous and systematic phonics programme so that they catch up rapidly with their peers. If they cannot decode independently and fluently, they will find it increasingly difficult to understand what they read and to write down what they want to say. As far as possible, however, these pupils should follow the year 3 and 4 programme of study in terms of listening to new books, hearing and learning new vocabulary and grammatical structures, and discussing these.

Specific requirements for pupils to discuss what they are learning and to develop their wider skills in spoken language form part of this programme of study. In years 3 and 4, pupils should become more familiar with and confident in using language in a greater variety of situations, for a variety of audiences and purposes, including through drama, formal presentations and debate.

Years 3 and 4 programme of study

• apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (etymology and morphology) as listed in - see English appendix 1 , both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words they meet
• read further exception words, noting the unusual correspondences between spelling and sound, and where these occur in the word

At this stage, teaching comprehension should be taking precedence over teaching word reading directly. Any focus on word reading should support the development of vocabulary.

When pupils are taught to read longer words, they should be supported to test out different pronunciations. They will attempt to match what they decode to words they may have already heard but may not have seen in print (for example, in reading technical, the pronunciation /tɛtʃnɪkəl/ (‘tetchnical’) might not sound familiar, but /tɛknɪkəl/ (‘teknical’) should).

• listening to and discussing a wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
• reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes
• using dictionaries to check the meaning of words that they have read
• increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including fairy stories, myths and legends, and retelling some of these orally
• identifying themes and conventions in a wide range of books
• preparing poems and play scripts to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action
• discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination
• recognising some different forms of poetry [for example, free verse, narrative poetry]
• checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding, and explaining the meaning of words in context
• asking questions to improve their understanding of a text
• drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence
• predicting what might happen from details stated and implied
• identifying main ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph and summarising these
• identifying how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning
• retrieve and record information from non-fiction
• participate in discussion about both books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, taking turns and listening to what others say

The focus should continue to be on pupils’ comprehension as a primary element in reading. The knowledge and skills that pupils need in order to comprehend are very similar at different ages. This is why the programmes of study for comprehension in years 3 and 4 and years 5 and 6 are similar: the complexity of the writing increases the level of challenge.

Pupils should be taught to recognise themes in what they read, such as the triumph of good over evil or the use of magical devices in fairy stories and folk tales.

They should also learn the conventions of different types of writing (for example, the greeting in letters, a diary written in the first person or the use of presentational devices such as numbering and headings in instructions).

Pupils should be taught to use the skills they have learnt earlier and continue to apply these skills to read for different reasons, including for pleasure, or to find out information and the meaning of new words.

Pupils should continue to have opportunities to listen frequently to stories, poems, non-fiction and other writing, including whole books and not just extracts, so that they build on what was taught previously. In this way, they also meet books and authors that they might not choose themselves. Pupils should also have opportunities to exercise choice in selecting books and be taught how to do so, with teachers making use of any library services and expertise to support this.

Reading, re-reading, and rehearsing poems and plays for presentation and performance give pupils opportunities to discuss language, including vocabulary, extending their interest in the meaning and origin of words. Pupils should be encouraged to use drama approaches to understand how to perform plays and poems to support their understanding of the meaning. These activities also provide them with an incentive to find out what expression is required, so feeding into comprehension.

In using non-fiction, pupils should know what information they need to look for before they begin and be clear about the task. They should be shown how to use contents pages and indexes to locate information.

Pupils should have guidance about the kinds of explanations and questions that are expected from them. They should help to develop, agree on, and evaluate rules for effective discussion. The expectation should be that all pupils take part.

• use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them - see English appendix 1
• spell further homophones
• spell words that are often misspelt - see English appendix 1
• place the possessive apostrophe accurately in words with regular plurals [for example, girls’, boys’] and in words with irregular plurals [for example, children’s]
• use the first 2 or 3 letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary
• write from memory simple sentences, dictated by the teacher, that include words and punctuation taught so far

Pupils should learn to spell new words correctly and have plenty of practice in spelling them.

As in years 1 and 2, pupils should continue to be supported in understanding and applying the concepts of word structure - see English appendix 2 .

Pupils need sufficient knowledge of spelling in order to use dictionaries efficiently.

• use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined
• increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting, [for example, by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant, and that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch]

Pupils should be using joined handwriting throughout their independent writing. Handwriting should continue to be taught, with the aim of increasing the fluency with which pupils are able to write down what they want to say. This, in turn, will support their composition and spelling.

• discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write in order to understand and learn from its structure, vocabulary and grammar
• discussing and recording ideas
• composing and rehearsing sentences orally (including dialogue), progressively building a varied and rich vocabulary and an increasing range of sentence structures English appendix 2
• organising paragraphs around a theme
• in narratives, creating settings, characters and plot
• in non-narrative material, using simple organisational devices [for example, headings and sub-headings]
• assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and suggesting improvements
• proposing changes to grammar and vocabulary to improve consistency, including the accurate use of pronouns in sentences
• proofread for spelling and punctuation errors
• read their own writing aloud to a group or the whole class, using appropriate intonation and controlling the tone and volume so that the meaning is clear

Pupils should continue to have opportunities to write for a range of real purposes and audiences as part of their work across the curriculum. These purposes and audiences should underpin the decisions about the form the writing should take, such as a narrative, an explanation or a description.

Pupils should understand, through being shown these, the skills and processes that are essential for writing: that is, thinking aloud to explore and collect ideas, drafting, and rereading to check their meaning is clear, including doing so as the writing develops. Pupils should be taught to monitor whether their own writing makes sense in the same way that they monitor their reading, checking at different levels.

• extending the range of sentences with more than one clause by using a wider range of conjunctions, including: when, if, because, although
• using the present perfect form of verbs in contrast to the past tense
• choosing nouns or pronouns appropriately for clarity and cohesion and to avoid repetition
• using conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions to express time and cause
• using fronted adverbials
• learning the grammar for years 3 and 4 in [English appendix 2]/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335190/English_Appendix_2_-_Vocabulary_grammar_and_punctuation.pdf)
• using commas after fronted adverbials
• indicating possession by using the possessive apostrophe with plural nouns
• using and punctuating direct speech
• use and understand the grammatical terminology in English appendix 2 accurately and appropriately when discussing their writing and reading

Grammar should be taught explicitly: pupils should be taught the terminology and concepts set out in English appendix 2 , and be able to apply them correctly to examples of real language, such as their own writing or books that they have read.

At this stage, pupils should start to learn about some of the differences between Standard English and non-Standard English and begin to apply what they have learnt, for example, in writing dialogue for characters.

Upper key stage 2 – years 5 and 6

By the beginning of year 5, pupils should be able to read aloud a wider range of poetry and books written at an age-appropriate interest level with accuracy and at a reasonable speaking pace. They should be able to read most words effortlessly and to work out how to pronounce unfamiliar written words with increasing automaticity. If the pronunciation sounds unfamiliar, they should ask for help in determining both the meaning of the word and how to pronounce it correctly.

They should be able to prepare readings, with appropriate intonation to show their understanding, and should be able to summarise and present a familiar story in their own words. They should be reading widely and frequently, outside as well as in school, for pleasure and information. They should be able to read silently, with good understanding, inferring the meanings of unfamiliar words, and then discuss what they have read.

Pupils should be able to write down their ideas quickly. Their grammar and punctuation should be broadly accurate. Pupils’ spelling of most words taught so far should be accurate and they should be able to spell words that they have not yet been taught by using what they have learnt about how spelling works in English.

During years 5 and 6, teachers should continue to emphasise pupils’ enjoyment and understanding of language, especially vocabulary, to support their reading and writing. Pupils’ knowledge of language, gained from stories, plays, poetry, non-fiction and textbooks, will support their increasing fluency as readers, their facility as writers, and their comprehension. As in years 3 and 4, pupils should be taught to enhance the effectiveness of their writing as well as their competence.

It is essential that pupils whose decoding skills are poor are taught through a rigorous and systematic phonics programme so that they catch up rapidly with their peers in terms of their decoding and spelling. However, as far as possible, these pupils should follow the upper key stage 2 programme of study in terms of listening to books and other writing that they have not come across before, hearing and learning new vocabulary and grammatical structures, and having a chance to talk about all of these.

By the end of year 6, pupils’ reading and writing should be sufficiently fluent and effortless for them to manage the general demands of the curriculum in year 7, across all subjects and not just in English, but there will continue to be a need for pupils to learn subject-specific vocabulary. They should be able to reflect their understanding of the audience for and purpose of their writing by selecting appropriate vocabulary and grammar. Teachers should prepare pupils for secondary education by ensuring that they can consciously control sentence structure in their writing and understand why sentences are constructed as they are. Pupils should understand nuances in vocabulary choice and age-appropriate, academic vocabulary. This involves consolidation, practice and discussion of language.

Specific requirements for pupils to discuss what they are learning and to develop their wider skills in spoken language form part of this programme of study. In years 5 and 6, pupils’ confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language should be extended through public speaking, performance and debate.

Years 5 and 6 programme of study

• apply their growing knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes (morphology and etymology), as listed in English appendix 1 , both to read aloud and to understand the meaning of new words that they meet

At this stage, there should be no need for further direct teaching of word-reading skills for almost all pupils. If pupils are struggling or failing in this, the reasons for this should be investigated. It is imperative that pupils are taught to read during their last two years at primary school if they enter year 5 not being able to do so.

Pupils should be encouraged to work out any unfamiliar word. They should focus on all the letters in a word so that they do not, for example, read ‘invitation’ for ‘imitation’ simply because they might be more familiar with the first word. Accurate reading of individual words, which might be key to the meaning of a sentence or paragraph, improves comprehension.

When teachers are reading with or to pupils, attention should be paid to new vocabulary – both a word’s meaning(s) and its correct pronunciation.

• continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or textbooks
• increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths, legends and traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books from other cultures and traditions
• recommending books that they have read to their peers, giving reasons for their choices
• identifying and discussing themes and conventions in and across a wide range of writing
• making comparisons within and across books
• learning a wider range of poetry by heart
• preparing poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience
• checking that the book makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and exploring the meaning of words in context
• asking questions to improve their understanding
• summarising the main ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas
• identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning
• discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader
• distinguish between statements of fact and opinion
• retrieve, record and present information from non-fiction
• participate in discussions about books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, building on their own and others’ ideas and challenging views courteously
• explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read, including through formal presentations and debates, maintaining a focus on the topic and using notes where necessary
• provide reasoned justifications for their views

Even though pupils can now read independently, reading aloud to them should include whole books so that they meet books and authors that they might not choose to read themselves.

The knowledge and skills that pupils need in order to comprehend are very similar at different ages. Pupils should continue to apply what they have already learnt to more complex writing.

Pupils should be taught to recognise themes in what they read, such as loss or heroism. They should have opportunities to compare characters, consider different accounts of the same event and discuss viewpoints (both of authors and of fictional characters), within a text and across more than 1 text.

They should continue to learn the conventions of different types of writing, such as the use of the first person in writing diaries and autobiographies.

Pupils should be taught the technical and other terms needed for discussing what they hear and read, such as metaphor, simile, analogy, imagery, style and effect.

In using reference books, pupils need to know what information they need to look for before they begin and need to understand the task. They should be shown how to use contents pages and indexes to locate information.

The skills of information retrieval that are taught should be applied, for example in reading history, geography and science textbooks, and in contexts where pupils are genuinely motivated to find out information [for example, reading information leaflets before a gallery or museum visit or reading a theatre programme or review]. Teachers should consider making use of any library services and expertise to support this.

Pupils should have guidance about and feedback on the quality of their explanations and contributions to discussions.

Pupils should be shown how to compare characters, settings, themes and other aspects of what they read.

• use further prefixes and suffixes and understand the guidance for adding them
• spell some words with ‘silent’ letters [for example, knight, psalm, solemn]
• continue to distinguish between homophones and other words which are often confused
• use knowledge of morphology and etymology in spelling and understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically, as listed in English appendix 1
• use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of words
• use the first 3 or 4 letters of a word to check spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary
• use a thesaurus

As in earlier years, pupils should continue to be taught to understand and apply the concepts of word structure so that they can draw on their knowledge of morphology and etymology to spell correctly.

Handwriting and presentation

• choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters
• choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task

Pupils should continue to practise handwriting and be encouraged to increase the speed of it, so that problems with forming letters do not get in the way of their writing down what they want to say. They should be clear about what standard of handwriting is appropriate for a particular task, for example, quick notes or a final handwritten version. They should also be taught to use an unjoined style, for example, for labelling a diagram or data, writing an email address, or for algebra, and capital letters, for example, for filling in a form.

• identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own
• noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary
• in writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings in what pupils have read, listened to or seen performed
• selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning
• in narratives, describing settings, characters and atmosphere and integrating dialogue to convey character and advance the action
• précising longer passages
• using a wide range of devices to build cohesion within and across paragraphs
• using further organisational and presentational devices to structure text and to guide the reader [for example, headings, bullet points, underlining]
• assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing
• proposing changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning
• ensuring the consistent and correct use of tense throughout a piece of writing
• ensuring correct subject and verb agreement when using singular and plural, distinguishing between the language of speech and writing and choosing the appropriate register
• perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and movement so that meaning is clear

Pupils should understand, through being shown, the skills and processes essential for writing: that is, thinking aloud to generate ideas, drafting, and rereading to check that the meaning is clear.

• recognising vocabulary and structures that are appropriate for formal speech and writing, including subjunctive forms
• using passive verbs to affect the presentation of information in a sentence
• using the perfect form of verbs to mark relationships of time and cause
• using expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely
• using modal verbs or adverbs to indicate degrees of possibility
• using relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or with an implied (ie omitted) relative pronoun
• learning the grammar for years 5 and 6 in English appendix 2
• using commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity in writing
• using hyphens to avoid ambiguity
• using brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis
• using semicolons, colons or dashes to mark boundaries between independent clauses
• using a colon to introduce a list
• punctuating bullet points consistently
• use and understand the grammatical terminology in English appendix 2 accurately and appropriately in discussing their writing and reading

Pupils should continue to add to their knowledge of linguistic terms, including those to describe grammar, so that they can discuss their writing and reading.

Key stage 3

Subject content.

• reading a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, including in particular whole books, short stories, poems and plays with a wide coverage of genres, historical periods, forms and authors, including high-quality works from English literature, both pre-1914 and contemporary, including prose, poetry and drama; Shakespeare (2 plays) and seminal world literature
• choosing and reading books independently for challenge, interest and enjoyment
• rereading books encountered earlier to increase familiarity with them and provide a basis for making comparisons
• learning new vocabulary, relating it explicitly to known vocabulary and understanding it with the help of context and dictionaries
• making inferences and referring to evidence in the text
• knowing the purpose, audience for and context of the writing and drawing on this knowledge to support comprehension
• checking their understanding to make sure that what they have read makes sense
• knowing how language, including figurative language, vocabulary choice, grammar, text structure and organisational features, presents meaning
• recognising a range of poetic conventions and understanding how these have been used
• studying setting, plot, and characterisation, and the effects of these
• understanding how the work of dramatists is communicated effectively through performance and how alternative staging allows for different interpretations of a play
• making critical comparisons across texts
• studying a range of authors, including at least 2 authors in depth each year
• writing for a wide range of purposes and audiences, including: well-structured formal expository and narrative essays; stories, scripts, poetry and other imaginative writing; notes and polished scripts for talks and presentations and a range of other narrative and non-narrative texts, including arguments, and personal and formal letters
• summarising and organising material, and supporting ideas and arguments with any necessary factual detail
• applying their growing knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and text structure to their writing and selecting the appropriate form
• drawing on knowledge of literary and rhetorical devices from their reading and listening to enhance the impact of their writing
• considering how their writing reflects the audiences and purposes for which it was intended
• amending the vocabulary, grammar and structure of their writing to improve its coherence and overall effectiveness
• paying attention to accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling; applying the spelling patterns and rules set out in English appendix 1 to the key stage 1 and 2 programmes of study for English

Grammar and vocabulary

• extending and applying the grammatical knowledge set out in English appendix 2 to the key stage 1 and 2 programmes of study to analyse more challenging texts
• studying the effectiveness and impact of the grammatical features of the texts they read
• drawing on new vocabulary and grammatical constructions from their reading and listening, and using these consciously in their writing and speech to achieve particular effects
• knowing and understanding the differences between spoken and written language, including differences associated with formal and informal registers, and between Standard English and other varieties of English
• using Standard English confidently in their own writing and speech
• discussing reading, writing and spoken language with precise and confident use of linguistic and literary terminology*

*Teachers should refer to the glossary that accompanies the programmes of study for English for their own information on the range of terms used within the programmes of study as a whole.

Spoken English

• using Standard English confidently in a range of formal and informal contexts, including classroom discussion
• giving short speeches and presentations, expressing their own ideas and keeping to the point
• participating in formal debates and structured discussions, summarising and/or building on what has been said
• improvising, rehearsing and performing play scripts and poetry in order to generate languages and discuss language use and meaning, using role, intonation, tone, volume, mood, silence, stillness and action to add impact

Key stage 4

English has a pre-eminent place in education and in society. A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. Through reading in particular, pupils have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Literature, especially, plays a key role in such development. Reading also enables pupils both to acquire knowledge and to build on what they already know. All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised.

The overarching aim for English in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum - cognitively, socially and linguistically. Spoken language continues to underpin the development of pupils’ reading and writing during key stage 4 and teachers should therefore ensure pupils’ confidence and competence in this area continue to develop. Pupils should be taught to understand and use the conventions for discussion and debate, as well as continuing to develop their skills in working collaboratively with their peers to discuss reading, writing and speech across the curriculum.

Reading and writing

Reading at key stage 4 should be wide, varied and challenging. Pupils should be expected to read whole books, to read in depth and to read for pleasure and information.

Pupils should continue to develop their knowledge of and skills in writing, refining their drafting skills and developing resilience to write at length. They should be taught to write formal and academic essays as well as writing imaginatively. They should be taught to write for a variety of purposes and audiences across a range of contexts. This requires an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar.

Opportunities for teachers to enhance pupils’ vocabulary will arise naturally from their reading and writing. Teachers should show pupils how to understand the relationships between words, how to understand nuances in meaning, and how to develop their understanding of, and ability to use, figurative language.

Pupils should be taught to control their speaking and writing consciously, understand why sentences are constructed as they are and to use Standard English. They should understand and use age-appropriate vocabulary, including linguistic and literary terminology, for discussing their reading, writing and spoken language. This involves consolidation, practice and discussion of language. It is important that pupils learn the correct grammatical terms in English and that these terms are integrated within teaching.

Teachers should build on the knowledge and skills that pupils have been taught at key stage 3. Decisions about progression should be based on the security of pupils’ linguistic knowledge, skills and understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils whose linguistic development is more advanced should be challenged through being offered opportunities for increased breadth and depth in reading and writing. Those who are less fluent should consolidate their knowledge, understanding and skills, including through additional practice.

A non-statutory glossary is provided for teachers.

read and appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage through:

reading a wide range of high-quality, challenging, classic literature and extended literary non-fiction, such as essays, reviews and journalism. This writing should include whole texts. The range will include:

• at least one play by Shakespeare
• works from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries
• poetry since 1789, including representative Romantic poetry
• re-reading literature and other writing as a basis for making comparisons

understand and critically evaluate texts through:

• reading in different ways for different purposes, summarising and synthesising ideas and information, and evaluating their usefulness for particular purposes
• drawing on knowledge of the purpose, audience for and context of the writing, including its social, historical and cultural context and the literary tradition to which it belongs, to inform evaluation
• identifying and interpreting themes, ideas and information
• exploring aspects of plot, characterisation, events and settings, the relationships between them and their effects
• seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence
• distinguishing between statements that are supported by evidence and those that are not, and identifying bias and misuse of evidence
• analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact
• making critical comparisons, referring to the contexts, themes, characterisation, style and literary quality of texts, and drawing on knowledge and skills from wider reading

make an informed personal response, recognising that other responses to a text are possible and evaluating these

write accurately, fluently, effectively and at length for pleasure and information through:

• adapting their writing for a wide range of purposes and audiences: to describe, narrate, explain, instruct, give and respond to information, and argue
• selecting and organising ideas, facts and key points, and citing evidence, details and quotation effectively and pertinently for support and emphasis
• selecting, and using judiciously, vocabulary, grammar, form, and structural and organisational features, including rhetorical devices, to reflect audience, purpose and context, and using Standard English where appropriate

make notes, draft and write, including using information provided by others [e.g. writing a letter from key points provided; drawing on and using information from a presentation]

revise, edit and proof-read through:

• reflecting on whether their draft achieves the intended impact
• restructuring their writing, and amending its grammar and vocabulary to improve coherence, consistency, clarity and overall effectiveness
• paying attention to the accuracy and effectiveness of grammar, punctuation and spelling

consolidate and build on their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary through:

• studying their effectiveness and impact in the texts they read
• analysing some of the differences between spoken and written language, including differences associated with formal and informal registers, and between Standard English and other varieties of English
• using linguistic and literary terminology accurately and confidently in discussing reading, writing and spoken language

speak confidently, audibly and effectively, including through:

• using Standard English when the context and audience require it
• working effectively in groups of different sizes and taking on required roles, including leading and managing discussions, involving others productively, reviewing and summarising, and contributing to meeting goals/deadlines
• listening to and building on the contributions of others, asking questions to clarify and inform, and challenging courteously when necessary
• planning for different purposes and audiences, including selecting and organising information and ideas effectively and persuasively for formal spoken presentations and debates
• listening and responding in a variety of different contexts, both formal and informal, and evaluating content, viewpoints, evidence and aspects of presentation
• improvising, rehearsing and performing play scripts and poetry in order to generate language and discuss language use and meaning, using role, intonation, tone, volume, mood, silence, stillness and action to add impact

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By Pie Corbett Published by David Fulton Publishers 2010 Previous edition 2003 ISBN: 9781853469169 234gms How to Teach Story Writing at Key Stage 1 is a practical manual for teachers, to be used directly in the classroom. It demonstrates practical ways of teaching story writing in a dynamic, creative and imaginative way, related to the Key Stage 1 National Literacy Framework. The book presents a series of creative story workshops, based on the writer's own experience both as a teacher and poet running workshops in schools. These focus on the central idea of the three 'I's: -imitation: listening, joining in and getting to know stories well; beginning to internalise story structures and sentence patterns -innovation: taking a story you know well and using it as a basic structure by changing it; borrowing and adapting story structures and sentence patterns -invention: making up your own stories, calling upon a store of known tales; manipulating, adapting, altering and creating story structures and sentence patterns The workshops show how you can grow the roots of the story writing through storytelling and reading, and demonstrate the importance of learning a few well-known tales. Model stories are provided for storytelling, and there are ideas for drama and role play. Workshops include: -the story of our lives -stories that make a circle -stories about problems -days of the week tales -humbug, stuff and nonsense stories -quests; repetitive tales -wishing stories -warning stories -cooking the story soup

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Creative writing pack

A versatile KS4 pack filled with teaching ideas and activities to help students at different stages of creative writing. The pack includes essential sections on sentences, the use of tenses and suggestions for tackling 'problem' areas of writing, from sense based writing to using pictures as prompts. Practical support to inspire your students.

What's included?

• KS4 curriculum assessment objective map
• lesson plans and ideas along with tailor-made resources.

What's inside?

Introduction (page 1)

• Summary of pack

Getting students started (page 2)

Generating an idea for a story (page 3)

Tenses (page 4)

Narrative point of view page 4-5)

Varying sentences (page 6)

Improving vocabulary and descriptions (pages 7-8)

Conflict (page 9)

Beginnings (page 10)

Plans and planning (page 10)

Resources (pages 11-83)

• Law and order in Britannica
• Packing your bag
• Encounter with Gromitz’ spy
• Getting across to Tongwe Island
• Extract from Beast Quest – Krabb, Master of the Sea, by Adam Blade
• How to have TipTop paragraphing skills
• Diary Openings
• Dead Trial by Matthew Green
• An Active Imagination by Virginia E. Zimmer

This is a sample student activity from the KS4  Creative Writing pack:

When writing one way of making sure that your work is interesting and engaging is to vary your sentence lengths. This activity is a fun way of practising this skill. 

1. Write down your mobile phone number.  If there are any zeros in it then change these to any number of your choice between 1 and 9.  If you don’t have a mobile phone, use your home phone number.

2. Choose one of the following titles:

Christmas     The Mistake Theft Loneliness

3. Select one of the following genres:

Horror     Fantasy Romance     Comedy

4. Write a paragraph for your selected title and genre making sure that the number of words in your sentences follows the pattern of your telephone number.  For example, if your telephone number is 447798146372, then the first sentence must contain 4 words only, the second also 4 words, the third seven words etc.

Writing under these artificial constraints will help you to focus on sentence structure.  It will also demonstrate to you how varying sentence length can make your writing more interesting and can also change the mood and dramatic impact of your writing.

Writing plan

Before you start writing your paragraph, sketch out a brief plan on the following page.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how to ace the apush dbq.

For those of you who have taken the APUSH exam, what are some tips or strategies you used to tackle the DBQ? I'm really trying to improve my DBQ skills before the exam, so any help is appreciated!

One of the keys to acing the APUSH DBQ is to gain a deep understanding of the rubric and to practice the necessary skills consistently. Here are some tips and strategies to help you improve your DBQ skills:

1. Understand the rubric: Familiarize yourself with the DBQ rubric, which consists of 7 possible points. It's crucial to know how the points are allocated so that you can target specific areas for improvement. The points are divided as follows: 1 point for Contextualization, 1 point for Thesis, 3 points for using Evidence, and 2 points for Argument Development.

2. Read and analyze the prompt: Take time to carefully read the prompt and understand what it's asking. Look for key action terms such as "analyze," "evaluate," or "argue" to better understand the task at hand.

3. Plan your essay: Spend some time (approximately 10-15 minutes) planning your essay before you start writing. Identify which documents will be used as evidence and determine how they can be grouped to support your argument. Sketch out a quick outline to guide your writing.

4. Contextualize: Set the stage for your essay by providing background information about the period in question. This helps establish a broader context for the topic and shows your understanding of the historical period.

5. Craft a strong thesis statement: Your thesis should be clear, concise, and address the prompt directly. Ensure that your thesis can be supported by the documents provided and demonstrates a clear argument.

6. Use evidence effectively: Use a majority of the documents provided (usually 3 out of 5) to support your thesis. Be sure to clearly explain how the evidence supports your argument and don't simply summarize the documents. Using specific examples and quotes from the documents will strengthen your essay.

7. Develop your argument: To earn the two points for Argument Development, you need to use at least two pieces of outside evidence to support your thesis, and analyze the point of view, purpose, historical context, or audience for three of the documents.

8. Connect the dots with synthesis: Demonstrate connections between your thesis and broader historical themes or patterns. This helps to show that you understand the implications of your argument in a larger context.

9. Manage your time: Balancing planning, writing, and proofreading your essay is crucial for success. Create a timeline for yourself based on the amount of time allocated for the DBQ and stick to it.

10. Practice, practice, practice: The more you practice writing DBQs, the more comfortable you'll become with the process. Use available resources, such as practice exams, textbooks, and online resources to find sample DBQ prompts and practice writing under timed conditions.

Remember that continued practice and feedback will lead to improvement. Seek help from your teacher or peers to get useful feedback on your DBQ skills, and make sure to apply this feedback in your future practice sessions.

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I Gave the Same Creative Prompt to 3 Different Chatbots: Which One Did It Best?

AI doesn't exactly have a reputation for human-like creativity, so let's see how these chatbots handle artistic tasks like songwriting and poetry.

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How i tested three popular chatbots with creative prompts, which chatbot did best with songs, which chatbot did best with poetry, which chatbot did best with short stories, which chatbot did best with scripts, which chatbot did best with social media bios, key takeaways.

• Microsoft Copilot excels in creating songs and social media bios, the results are both fun and balanced.
• ChatGPT stands out for its elegant poetry and short story writing abilities.
• Google Gemini's results for play scripts are impressive, producing funny and interesting scenes.

ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot—three popular chatbots with different capabilities. As useful as they are in everyday tasks, how would they perform with creative prompts for content like songs, short stories, and imaginative social media bios? Here are the experiment’s details and results.

The methodology was simple. I composed a straightforward prompt for each type of creative content I wanted. Then I fed each prompt to a selection of the best AI chatbots , namely ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot.

Working out which AI generator was the best came down to factors like originality, flow of writing, imaginative flair, and response time. Let's see how they did.

To test each chatbot’s response to a combination of themes, whether normal or random, I went for the following prompt: “Write a song about achieving your dreams and make sure the lyrics feature a koala.”

Microsoft Copilot’s song, while not perfect in style or originality, was the most balanced and fun. In terms of length, it was short and sweet. And the koala theme became the basis for the deeper message, both aspects working together nicely. It’s a prime example of how useful Copilot’s free GPT-4 Turbo can be .

Google Gemini had the fastest response time and went for a similar approach as Copilot—mixing both themes equally. But some of its imagery was strange and made little sense.

ChatGPT wrote the longest song and used interesting lyrics, but the koala theme barely existed, especially when compared to what the other chatbots came up with. It also struggled to complete the song.

Poems tend to be quite creative in their use of language, so the chatbot with the richest database and training would perform the best.

ChatGPT proved the most capable in responding to the following prompt: “Write a rhyming poem about swimming in the sea. It should have 15 lines maximum.” While the outcome was hardly inspiring, further proof that human writers can outperform AI writing tools , the poem’s flow and choice of words were graceful and pleasant.

Copilot and Gemini were both less effective than ChatGPT in all these regards. However, you may find that results vary depending on the type of poem and the instructions you give each chatbot. Make a note of the many available tips and tricks for better AI prompting .

The prompt for this creative content was as follows: “Write a story about a dinner party that your character is reluctant to attend. It should be 1000 words maximum.”

None of the chatbots’ stories were particularly unique or thought-provoking. But the best outcome came from ChatGPT. It was simple but interesting and well-written, a quality sample of creative writing.

The same applied to Gemini’s creation, except that its narration contained confusing elements in what seemed to be an attempt at imaginative expression. It was intriguing to see, but it missed the mark.

Copilot’s writing style was smooth and accurate, but the story the chatbot automatically went for was boring, cliché even. Overall, there are better AI story generators for serious writers who need some extra help.

Instead of asking for a whole script, I gave the chatbots the same prompt for a single scene containing a few specific elements. This was their task: “Write a short scene for a play script where two characters (Tom and Alice) argue about whether a shirt they found in a store is blue or green.”

Google Gemini’s response was the most impressive. In addition to being fast, the script it wrote was funny and interesting, its characters’ personalities shining through their banter.

The other two chatbots went for the exact same structure for the scene—perhaps because both apps use OpenAI’s data as their source. They flowed nicely enough, but there was nothing special about the results.

An extra downside to ChatGPT was that one side of the script was cut off and unreadable. When I pointed out the problem, instead of offering a solution, the chatbot produced the exact same text with the same issue. One way to deal with this is to copy the script and paste it into a document, where you can read the scene in full.

It’s true that you can improve your LinkedIn profile with AI , but you may be looking to develop a social media presence that’s more creative and less formal. While all three chatbots can help with that, one goes the extra mile.

The prompt was: “Write a fun and creative social media bio that would suit Instagram, TikTok, and X. I am a photographer specializing in pet portraits.”

Copilot provided the most options in terms of effective and imaginative phrases alongside emojis and hashtags. You could pick and choose what you wanted for your bio and tweak it further to perfectly reflect your identity.

ChatGPT was more precise with its response. Two lines of useful mottos, emojis, hashtags, and a call to action. Asking for other suggestions is always on the table, but Copilot offered more from its initial response.

Gemini was the least efficient. While it did make four decent motto suggestions, they weren’t as good as the other chatbots’. It also lacked a sample call to action and the same range of emojis. All-in-all, instead of providing a fun and complete bio for your social media profiles, it gave advice on how you should structure it, which is not what the prompt requested.

All three AI generators were able to respond to the creative prompts, but their performance varied from task to task. Even ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, which were developed by the same company, had different strengths and weaknesses. Both, however, outperformed Gemini, except when it came to writing scripts. That’s where Google’s algorithm shone, producing an amusing length of dialogue that could have been written by a human.

Further testing of each chatbot with other creative prompts should reveal which one does best with content that interests you the most.

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Author vs Writer: What’s the Difference?

People often mix up the terms “author” and “writer”, but there is a difference. A writer is someone who wrote, but an author is someone who wrote books. There were many types of writers, and here, you’ll learn about what makes an author different from a writer, and how you can become one.

With this knowledge, you'll be able to better understand authorship and determine if your path is that of a writer or an author.

• What is the difference between a writer and an author.
• Who originates the ideas and owns the writing
• Whether your work is published under your name
• Whether you should be a writer or an author
• How to become an author

What is a Writer?

A writer is someone who engages in the act and process of writing. This is a broad definition that encompasses many types of writing. Essentially, if you spend time writing creatively, whether it's fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry, scripts, blogs, or journaling, you can consider yourself a writer.

The key criteria is that you are actively involved in writing as an ongoing pursuit or hobby. You don't necessarily have to be published or make money from your writing to be called a writer.

Types of Writers

There are many different types of writers that fall under the broad definition above. Some of the most common include:

• Fiction writers – Writers who focus on fictional stories, novels, or other creative works. This includes genres like romance, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, and more.
• Nonfiction writers – Writers who create factual, informational, or journalistic works like biographies, memoirs, self-help books, news articles, and blogs.
• Freelance writers – Also known as commercial writers, freelancers are hired by companies, publishers, or individuals to create specific written content, like website copy, marketing materials, technical documentation, research reports, scripts, and more.
• Journalists – Writers who report on factual events and news for newspapers, magazines, websites, TV, or radio.
• Bloggers – Writers who create regular blog content focusing on a specific topic or niche.
• Screenwriters – Writers who create scripts and screenplays for television, movies, and digital productions.
• Content writers – Similar to freelance writers, content writers create written web content for businesses and websites.
• Academic writers – Writers who create scholarly books, papers, articles, and other content, usually within a specific academic discipline.
• Technical writers – Writers who create instruction guides, manuals, how-to guides, and other technical documentation.
• Copywriters – Writers who create advertising and marketing materials like brochures, websites, digital ads, commercials, and more.

So basically, a ‘writer’ is anyone who writes, no matter the genre, format, or industry.

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What is an Author?

An author is a writer who originates ideas and content for a book or other literary work that is formally published. In other words, authors are published writers. Simply writing a manuscript does not make someone an author – it requires actual publication and distribution of the work.

Some key criteria that distinguish authors from general writers include:

• They compose original ideas, stories, and information for publication in book format or other literary formats.
• Their full work is published formally under their name, as the originator of the content.
• They typically own the copyright and intellectual property of the published work.
• There is an element of authority or expertise lent to being the named author of a published book or major literary work.
• For full-length book publications, most authors partner with a publisher who prints, markets, distributes, and sells the book.

So an author is someone who comes up with the ideas for a book, and it is published under their name, giving them the rights to the content.

What’s the Difference?

While there is overlap between writers and authors, and all authors consider themselves writers, there are some key differences that distinguish the two titles:

Who Originates the Ideas

• Writers may write up other people's ideas, rewrite content, or work from an assigned topic. For example, freelance writers are hired to write content for clients on various subjects.
• Authors are the original creators and originators of the ideas, content, and stories covered in their literary works. Their books come from their own minds and perspectives.

Who Owns the Writing?

• Writers usually write content that is owned or copyrighted by an employer or client. For example, freelancers who write website copy for a marketing firm don't own or have rights to that content.
• Authors own the full rights and copyrights to their published books and works, since they are the sole creator. There are some exceptions if rights are sold or transferred to a publisher.

Is Your Work Published Under Your Name?

• Writers may never see their name published or receive credit for written works. For example, ghostwriters or staff writers for companies.
• Authors are published under their own name and are publicly credited for their books and other literary creations. Their named authorship is key to their title.

When it comes to publication, authors have two main options: traditional publishing or self-publishing.

Traditional publishing involves submitting book proposals to publishing houses, who then contract and publish approved manuscripts. The publisher handles editing, distribution, marketing, and sales. The author receives an advance and royalties.

Self-publishing allows the author to publish their book independently by paying for editing, design, printing, and distribution themselves. The author retains full creative control and rights over their work. Popular self-publishing platforms include Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital.

Basically, an author credit is given to anyone who publishes a full literary work under their own name. The ideas and content have to be theirs in order for them to be considered the author of the book.

Should You Be an Author or a Writer?

So, how do you know which path is right for you? Here are a few tips:

Consider your motivation – Do you want to write for the joy of writing, or do you feel called to author and publish your own book? Writings fulfill the act itself while authors want to complete and distribute a major work.

Does originating ideas appeal to you? – Authors thrive on creating their own stories, worldviews, characters, and topics. If this suits you, authoring a book may be appealing.

Evaluate your commitment – Writing can be casual while authoring a book takes immense commitment. Are you excited by a major project and willing to spend months or years completing an entire manuscript?

Do you crave control over your work? – Authors maintain creative control and ownership over their books. If this control matters to you, authorship may be the path.

How do you feel about professional editing? – Writers may not get much editing while manuscript development and professional editing are key to authorship. If you're open to constructive feedback, authoring could work.

Consider public recognition – Writers often go unpublished while authors get public credit and recognition. If you desire acknowledgement, authorship provides this.

Weigh your willingness to promote a book – Writers have less marketing responsibility while authors must vigorously promote their books through tours, social media, and more. If you’re willing to be your book’s biggest champion through marketing campaigns, talks, and events, authoring has greater appeal.

Think about monetary motivations – Writing gigs can provide steady paychecks to writers while authors only earn money if their book sells. Advances and royalties over the long-term may incentivize those drawn to authorship.

These can help you decide if your temperament, motivation, commitment, and goals are more in line with writing or authorship. Know yourself before you decide which is the better fit.

How to Become an Author

If examining your motivations leads you to pursue authorship, here is a brief overview of common steps to publishing your first book:

• Pick your genre or nonfiction topic – Choose a book category and narrow your focus to a specific concept, story premise, or area of expertise. Research the target market.
• Create an outline – Map out your full manuscript with a beginning, middle, and end. Authors often start with a chapter outline and expand it as they write.
• Write the first draft – With initial research done, it's time to start writing your manuscript. Set a regular writing schedule to maintain momentum. Expect many revisions along the way.
• Hire a professional editor – Once the draft is done, invest in editing services to refine your manuscript. A critique of plot, characters, pacing, structure, and grammar is invaluable.
• Design your book cover and interior – Work with a graphic designer to create an eye-catching cover and appealing interior formatting.
• Choose traditional vs self-publishing – Decide which publishing route is right for your book and follow the steps to get your manuscript printed and distributed.
• Market relentlessly – As the author, dedicating time to tirelessly promoting your book through social media, speaking engagements, book signings and any other creative avenues is vital to sales. Leverage your network.

This provides a high-level overview of the path to becoming a published author. We have much more in-depth information on successfully writing and publishing your first book available here .

Can You Be an Author Without Writing?

An interesting question that often comes up is whether someone can be credited as a book's author without writing the manuscript themselves. There are two common scenarios where this happens:

• With a ghostwriter – Celebrities, public figures, and business leaders frequently hire ghostwriters to author their memoirs and guidebooks. The named author provides background info and may outline topics, while the ghostwriter does the actual writing. The celebrity is still listed as the credited author.
• When physically unable to write – Writers who become paralyzed or lose the use of their hands may bring on co-writers who assist with the physical typing and writing. As long as the original author dictates the outlines and content, they maintain their authorship.

So in both cases, as long as the author initiated the ideas and content direction, they can get author credit even if they didn't physically type the manuscript themselves. The core creativity and ownership still stems from them as the originator.

Bottom Line: Get Writing

When you get right down to it, the only thing that writers and authors have in common is that they write. Regardless of your publishing aspirations, you have to start with writing. 

Maybe you just want to write short stories for fun, or you want to write a novel. 

Just start writing. 

Join a writing group for support. Take a class or workshop to get better. Or set aside time every day to write.

You won’t get far as an author if you don’t write every day. So write something every day. Just focus on writing at first. Worry about publishing later.

Learn to love the act of writing. And soon, you might find that you’ve taken the first steps to go from writer to author.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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