Handwriting 

At Glade Hill we recognise that even in a technological, computer-literate age, good handwriting remains fundamental to our children’s educational achievement. We believe that a fluent and legible handwriting style empowers children to write with confidence and creativity. This skill needs to be taught with careful progression, discretely and frequently in order for children to master this skill at every stage.

At Glade Hill, we use the Little Wandle Handwriting programme in Reception and Year 1 to provide a coherent approach to early literacy. As the programme is fully aligned with our Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised phonics scheme, children are taught letter formation alongside the graphemes they are learning to read and write. They have handwriting lessons in addition to phonics lessons to secure transcription skills. The carefully sequenced programme ensures that children establish correct pencil grip, posture and letter formation from the outset, providing strong foundations for fluent, legible handwriting and successful writing in Key Stage 1 and beyond.

To support our teaching of handwriting, we adopt the Cambridge University Press: Penpals Handwriting scheme for Years 2 - 6 (currently). It is a complete handwriting scheme for 3 – 11 year olds that is split into five developmental stages, meeting the expectations of the 2014 National Curriculum:

- physical preparation for handwriting (gross and fine motor skills leading to mark-making and letter formation)

- securing the correct letter formation

- beginning to join

- securing joins

- practising speed, fluency and developing a personalised style for different purposes.

When children are secure in their letter joins and are writing fluently and at speed, they are awarded with a pen licence. They are rewarded with a pen licence in a writing celebration assembly where they share their work with their peers and sign their certificate which is their contract to using their pen in class!

To keep their pen licence they must:

- present all their work neatly

- continue to use their neatest joined handwriting in all their work.

Being awarded with a pen licence is a much sought after reward for our children. They take pride in their work and are keen to learn how to write in a joined and fluent style so they can be awarded with a pen! At the beginning of each academic year, children have to prove to their new teacher that they are still writing to the standard required in order to be rewarded with a brand new pen for the year.