Handwriting at LPPA 

The Primary National Curriculum specifies that primary school children should work towards mastering handwriting that is fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy. In doing so children can effectively communicate across the curriculum. In the GLA we want to ensure all children are taught and supported from the earliest stages, with clear progressive steps to be able to reach this goal, whilst being able to offer precise support for those who may need it, ensuring that children ‘keep up, not catch-up’.

We believe all knowledge should be built upon which is why ‘Nelson Handwriting’ has been chosen as a complete strategy to help us achieve this, due to the carefully planned and progressively sequenced formation of letters and joins, and the close relationship to ELS.

It is vital that the formation of letters is correctly established, becoming automatic with practise. This can only be achieved when a consistent approach is adopted across our school and when children are given the opportunity to develop, practice and perfect skills.

Handwriting skills will be taught in discrete lessons using the Nelson Handwriting resources and software. These lessons will be reinforced with high expectations of handwriting set across the curriculum. Handwriting lessons are short and frequent – the frequency determined by the year group and ability.

The following expectations are expected from the National Curriculum:

Reception:

Letters are then introduced using the ELS order: s a t p i n g o c k ck e u r h b f l ll ss j v w x y z q.

Year 1:

In Year 1, the lower-case alphabet changes with regard to the ‘f’ ‘k’ letters

To start, the letters are re-introduced and taught in letter sets, dependent on the forming technique.

The children in Year 1, then learn and practise the four types of joins as below.

• The first join: Group 1 to 2 (diagonal joins to letters without ascenders).
• The second join: Group 1 to 3 (diagonal joins to letters with ascenders).
• The third join: Group 4 to 2 (horizontal joins to letters without ascenders).
• The fourth join: Group 4 to 3 (horizontal joins to letters with ascenders).

Year 2:

In Year 2, the lower-case alphabet is the same as Year 1 – no further changes

Throughout the unit’s children will:

• Recap all four joins, beginning with ai
• Learn correct formation of apostrophes within contractions
• Practise formation of speech marks
• Build fluency with common endings: ily, tion, cian, less, ness, er, est

Year 3-6:

In year 3-6, children continue to build their fluency and speed for handwriting.

Throughout the unit’s children will:

• Learn to write with a slight slant to improve speed of handwriting
• Build their knowledge on spacing, size and joins.
• Practise speed writing, drafting and editing.
• Learn how to printing, decorating and presentation of writing.
• Develop their personal handwriting style.