Neroche Primary School

Handwriting Policy

2021

This handwriting policy is for staff, parents, carers, pupils and visitors. It is intended to provide a clear

framework for a shared understanding of teaching handwriting and to ensure that all children across the

school develop legible script that will support their writing. It follows the guidance of the National

Curriculum and is supported by the use of the Cambridge Pen Pals (CPP) scheme. Effective teaching of

handwriting can only be achieved through modelling. Teachers must demonstrate letter formation and

joins in all areas of the curriculum and so that the children have the opportunity to practice by copying and

repeating.

Key Principles:

Handwriting should be taught explicitly in short frequent sessions. It should be modelled by staff then

supervised so that feedback can be given at the time of learning.

Staff should be modelling correct handwriting at all times, e.g. when writing on the board and marking

children’s books.

Where possible, especially in EYFS/Year 1 it should be linked to phonics and spelling patterns. This will help

with handwriting and with the ‘muscle memory’ of spelling patterns.

When ready, children should practise their handwriting on lines the same as those in their writing books.

High expectations of writing are needed; children should repeat handwriting if incorrect.

Handwriting and presentation efforts will be celebrated weekly through Polished Presentation certificates.

Phonics and spelling

Opportunities for linking handwriting with early phonics and spelling work are fully exploited through teacher’s

planned opportunities and/or the Pen Pals scheme.

Pencil grip

Children should develop their pencil grip during their time in the EYFS in order to use a tripod grip. Children should

be shown how to place their pencil on the table in front of them with it pointing towards their bodies and to then

pick it up and allow the pencil to fall back into the tripod grip.

Handwriting in Preschool

Good handwriting relies on secure motor control and hand-eye coordination. Children in EYFS should learn

handwriting through movement, play and opportunities to use their fingers and hands. Children will:

Draw lines and shapes.

Manipulate malleable objects with control

Re-trace lines

Engage in activities requiring hand-eye coordination

Use one handed tools and equipment

Develop their fine motor skills through activities such as cutting and Finger Gym/Funky Fingers

Develop their gross motor skills through large scale movements

Watch writing being modelled by an adult using correct letter formation

Develop mark making by being encouraged to draw circular shapes in line with the caterpillar family

formation, draw zig zag shapes in line with the v/w/z formations etc.

Where appropriate, when writing, the children will be expected to attempt correct letter formation

Name writing will be modelled using correct letter formation and children will be encouraged to write their

name using correct formation (Appendix A.)

Handwriting in Reception

Good handwriting relies on secure motor control and hand-eye coordination. Children in EYFS should learn

handwriting through movement, play and opportunities to use their fingers and hands. Children will:

Continue to draw lines and shapes, manipulate malleable objects with control, re-trace lines, engage in

activities requiring hand-eye coordination, use one handed tools and equipment, develop their fine motor

skills through activities such as cutting and Finger Gym/Funky Finger and develop their gross motor skills

through large scale movements.

By the end of the academic year in Reception, the children will know the letter names and correctly form all

single lower case letters correctly and with orientation in line with Read Write Inc. letter formation rhymes

(Appendix A):

Handwriting in Year 1

Children in Year 1 will:

Continue to have discrete handwriting lessons.

Form lower case letters to the correct size relative to one another.

Continue to form lower case letters and capital letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place. They will understand that capital letters sit on the line and are much bigger than other letters.

Continue to develop the right posture in order to write correctly.

Understand which letters belong to which handwriting groups e.g.: the letter ‘a’ belongs to the curly caterpillar group.

Make links with spelling and phonics.

Where appropriate (depending on COVID catch-up), start using horizontal and diagonal strokes to join letters.

Understand the vocabulary related to handwriting, e.g.: entry, exit points, horizontal and diagonal strokes, ascenders, descenders.

Children to regularly practise their handwriting in their individual tracked handwriting book.

and will be taught in this format from Year 1 moving away from k and f formation taught in

Reception

Handwriting in Year 2

Children in Year 2 will:

Continue to regularly practise their handwriting as part of a discrete session in a tracked handwriting book.

Use horizontal and diagonal strokes to join letters and understand which letters are best left un-joined.

Understand which letters have an ascender and which letters have a descender.

Write capital letters of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters.

Use spacing between words that reflect the size of the letters.

Continue to develop the right posture in order to write correctly.

Follow the adapted sequence from Pen Pals (see table below). Please note you will need to log into Pen Pals to see how the letters join to and from each other before you teach or write example joins/words into children’s books. Please note that we view all capital letters as break letters (other letters are not joined on from them) along with the letters x,j, g and y.

Joins Pen Pal Ref. Example Words

Week 1 at, all Yr1 T2 cat, all, at, call, mat, tall

Week 2 th, ch, cl , sh Yr1 T2 Yr2 T2 that, chat, church, clatter

Week 3 cr, tr, dr Yr1 T2 crime, crate

Week 4 lp, mp Yr1 T2 chimp, cramp, crimp, tramp, trump

Week 5 nd, ld, ng Yr1 T2 child, cling, thing, thong

Week 6 in, im Yr1 T2 thin, chime, climb

Week 7 id, ig Yr1 T2 lid, did, big, rig

Week 8 ice, ide Yr2 T1 rice, mice, ride, side, dice, hide

Week 9 ime, ine Yr1 T3 time, mime, chime, pine, dine, wine

Week 10 ee, ea, ear Yr1 T3 Yr2 T3 see, sea, dear, bear, tear, eat, meet

Week 11 eel, eet Yr2 T1 reel, sheet, sleet, heel, steel, meet

Week 12 ere Yr2 T2 here, there, where, were

Week 13 ai, ay Yr1 T3 rain, sail, hail, pail, play, hay, tray

Week 14 air Yr2 T2 air, fair, chair, hair, pair, stairs,

Week 15 op, oy, oa, og Yr1 T3 shop, pop, toy, boy, goat, boat, dog, hog

Week 16 one, ome Yr1 T3 one, cone, lone, tone, bone, come, home, some

Week 17 ol, ot, oh Yr1 T3 pot, rot, foot, soot, hot, phone, pole

Week 18 of, if Yr1 T3 of, if, sniff, often, lift, loft, gift

Week 19 ow, ou Yr2 T1 cow, how, bow, low, cloud, loud, mouth

Week 20 oy, oi Yr2 T1 boy, toy, coy, soy, join, coin, point

Week 21 ode, obe, ole Yr2 T1 rode, mode, robe, lobe, dole, mole

Week 22 ook, ool Yr2 T1 cook, rook, took, cool, pool, drool

Week 23 or, oor Yr2 T2 for, corner, door, floor, poor, moor

Week 24 url, irl, irt Yr2 T2 hurl, hirt, dirt, curl, girl, shirt

Week 25 dis, rs Yr2 T2 bars, bears, dismay, dismiss, wars

Week 26 wa, wo, wh, ws Yr1 T3 Yr2 T2 want, why, where, who, would, claws

Week 27 ir, ur, er Yr2 T2 letter, girl, twirl, purse, nurse, dirt

Week 28 si, se, sp Yr2 T2 wasp, sit, sick, sink, spoon, set, see

Week 29 ft, fl ,fu, fr Yr2 T3 fly, float, fur, free, drift, flee, fry

Week 30 rr, ss, ff, qu Yr2 T3 Dress, cliff, quack, queen, berry, merry

Week 31 onwards handwriting practice should consist of joined sentences progressing to joined paragraphs of text in best handwriting applying correct joins throughout.

Handwriting in Year 3 Children in Year 3 will:

Continue to regularly practise their handwriting as part of a discrete session in a tracked handwriting book.

Continue to demonstrate correct letter formation in line with Appendix B, with correct orientation, ascenders/descenders and size of capital letters.

Continue to develop their joined writing in line with an adapted teaching sequence using Year 2 and Year 3 Pen Pals as below:

Please note you will need to log into Pen Pals to see how the letters join to and from each other before you teach or write example joins/words into children’s books. Please note that we view all capital letters as break letters (other letters are not joined on from them) along with the letters x,j, g and y.

Joins Pen Pal Ref. Example Words

Week 1 ode, obe, ole Yr2 T1 rode, mode, robe, lobe, dole, mole

Week 2 ook, ool Yr2 T1 cook, rook, took, cool, pool, drool

Week 3 url, irl, irt Yr2 T2 hurl, hirt, dirt, curl, girl, shirt

Week 4 dis, rs no loops ! Yr2 T2 bars, bears, dismay, dismiss, wars

Week 5 si, se, sp Yr2 T2 wasp, sit, sick, sink, spoon, set, see

Week 6 ft, fl ,fu, fr Yr2 T3 fly, float, fur, free, drift, flee, fry

Week 7 rr, ss, ff, qu Yr2 T3 Dress, cliff, quack, queen, berry, merry

Week 8 le Yr3 T1 pile, mile, smile, file, tile,while

Week 9 ing Yr3 T1 sing, ring, ting, wing, bing,king

Week 10 un Yr3 T1 bun, fun, run, sun, gun

Week 11 de Yr3 T1 ride, tide, side, wide,

Week 12 dis Yr3 T1 disco, disk, dislike

Week 13 re Yr3 T1 red, sure, pure, read, rest,

Week 14 pre Yr3 T1 pretend, present

Week 15 bi Yr3 T2 bit, big, bid, bib, bin, bike

Week 16 pu Yr3 T2 public, publish, pudding, pull, pulp

Week 17 ba Yr3 T2 ban, bad, bag, bass, bat

Week 18 po Yr3 T2 pole, poke, poem

Week 19 bl Yr3 T2 blink, black, block,

Week 20 ph Yr3 T2 photo, phone, phobia

Week 21 ly Yr3 T2 fly, ply,

Week 22 less Yr3 T2 less, hairless, careless

Week 23 ful Yr3 T2 caRef.ul, bashful, colourful

Week 24 er Yr3 T2 water, danger,

Week 25 est Yr3 T2 rest, best, pest, test

Week 26 mis Yr3 T3 miss, mist, mister, dismiss

Week 27 anti Yr3 T3 antibiotic, antibodies, anticipate

Week 28 ex Yr3 T3 excite, excited, excel, excellent

Week 29 non Yr3 T3 none, cannon,

Week 30 co Yr3 T3 coin, cola, cold, cool, cope, cone

Week 31 onwards handwriting practice should consist of joined sentences progressing to joined paragraphs of text in best handwriting applying correct joins throughout.

Handwriting in Year 4 Children in Year 4 will:

Continue to regularly practise their handwriting as part of a discrete session in a tracked handwriting book.

Continue to demonstrate correct letter formation in line with Appendix B, with correct orientation, ascenders/descenders and size of capital letters

Continue to develop their joined writing in line with an adapted teaching sequence using Year 3 and Year 4 Pen Pals as below:

Please note you will need to log into Pen Pals to see how the letters join to and from each other before you teach or write example joins/words into children’s books. Please note that we view all capital letters as break letters (other letters are not joined on from them) along with the letters x,j, g and y.

Joins Pen Pals Ref. Example Words

Week 1 dis Yr3 T1 disco, disk, dislike

Week 2 pre Yr3 T1 pretend, present

Week 3 pu Yr3 T2 public, publish, pudding, pull, pulp

Week 4 po Yr3 T2 pole, poke, poem

Week 5 ph Yr3 T2 photo, phone, phobia

Week 6 bi Yr3 T2 bit, big, bid, bib, bin, bike

Week 7 ba Yr3 T2 ban, bad, bag, bass, bat

Week 8 bl Yr3 T2 blink, black, block,

Week 9 est Yr3 T2 rest, best, pest, test

Week 10 mis Yr3 T3 miss, mist, mister, dismiss

Week 11 ex Yr3 T3 excite, excited, excel, excellent

Week 12 ness, ship Yr4 T1 freshness, bitterness, sadness, goodness battleship, friendship, sportsmanship

Week 13 ing, ed Yr4 T1 thing, king, wing, bed, red, fed

Week 14 ify Yr4 T1 clarify, modify, amplify, dignify

Week 15 nn, mm, ss Yr4 T1 annex, annotate, anniversary, announce accommodate, ammonite, gammon access, accessory, across, actress

Week 16 tt, ll, bb Yr4 T1 butter, admitted, allotted, litter all, tall, ball, call, wall, hall abbot, babble, blabber, blubber, rubber

Week 17 pp, ff Yr4 T1 appeal, apparel, apparatus, appear affairs, affect, affection, affirm

Week 18 cc, dd Yr4 T1 accelerate, accent, accept, access add, adder, addition, address

Week 19 al, ad, af Yr4 T2 normal, accidental, dental, actual adapt, adapter, adhere, adjective afar, afield, afoot, afraid, after

Week 20 ight Yr4 T2 night, bright, knight, right, flight

Week 21 ough Yr4 T2 rough, tough, ought, sought, cough

Week 22 ious Yr4 T2 delicious, various, serious, previous

Week 23 able Yr4 T2 cable, table, able, fable, durable

Week 24 ful Yr4 T2 armful, awful, bashful, beautiful

Week 25 fs Yr4 T2 beliefs, chefs, dwarfs, hoofs, motifs

Week 26 ves Yr4 T2 vest, elves, waves, hives, bravest

Week 27 ic, ist Yr4 T3 ice, comic, panic, traffic, clinic assist, list, cyclist, wrist

Week 28 ion Yr4 T3 acceleration, television, action, ambition

Week 29 ible Yr4 T3 eligible, incredible, collectible, credible, edible

Week 30 able Yr4 T3 table, adaptable, amicable, arable

Week 31 onwards handwriting practice should consist of joined sentences progressing to joined paragraphs of text in best handwriting applying correct joins throughout.

Handwriting in Years 5 and 6

Children will apply their knowledge of the joins learnt in years 2, 3 and 4.

They will have a weekly dedicated handwriting practice session every week.

Weekly practice will consist of handwriting modelled discretely to them and copying sections of text, demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of the joins learnt in years 2, 3 and 4.

Letter formation will be in line with whole school letter formation consistency (see Appendix B and Appendix C).

In Years 5 and 6 joining from a g, j and y on to other letters will be acceptable due to the requirement to

write fluently and for speed ( g j and y ).

All capital letters and the letter x will still be recognised as break letters.

For children who are struggling with joins in Year 5 and 6, interventions using Year 3 and Year 4 PenPals can used.

Pencils and Pens All children from Reception to Year 6 will write in pencil in the main. Pens will be used occasionally for different presentation purposes only. “Purple Polishing Pens” will be used to show independent and peer editing from the end of Year 1. Blue Editing Pens will be used for marking/editing that has been directed by an adult as part of a guided class/group session. From June onwards each academic year, Year 6 children will be encouraged to use pens for writing. This is to ensure they are “secondary ready” and progress towards meeting secondary presentation expectations.

Children who join the school after Reception We acknowledge that different schools have different handwriting policies. As a result children joining the school after Reception may have already established an effective alternative handwriting style. If their handwriting is legible and clear then there will be no expectation on the child to change their handwriting practice. However, if their handwriting is not clear/effective we will raise this on an individual basis with the child and their parents and ask them to modify their handwriting style to reflect this consistency agreement.

g j y