Grow your Writing
"Our lives can be filled and fulfilled by writing... each day, we use writing to learn, to love, to remember, to console, to entertain, to imagine, to argue, and to simply be." Alex Quigley
Writing at Appletree is where imagination takes flight and every child learns that their voice matters. Through rich language experiences, carefully crafted lessons, and opportunities to explore ideas with confidence, our pupils grow as thoughtful, expressive writers who take pride in shaping their own stories. At Appletree, we believe writing empowers children to understand the world and contribute to it with clarity, creativity, and purpose. Every sentence becomes a step toward confidence, every idea a spark of possibility and together, we nurture writers who are ready to inspire others.
What does writing look like at Appletree?
Intent, Implement, Impact:
Our curriculum has been specifically designed for our learningcommunity and it supports us to plan, teach and evaluate our success.
I have a voice
At Appletree, we believe that every child has a unique voice that deserves to be heard. Through purposeful, inspiring writing experiences, we help our pupils discover the power of their words—whether they are crafting stories, exploring new ideas, or expressing their thoughts with clarity and confidence. Writing at Appletree nurtures creativity, builds resilience, and empowers children to communicate with purpose. We celebrate every child as an author, supporting them as they learn to shape their ideas, share their perspectives, and use their voice to make a meaningful impact on the world around them.
I reach my potential
I Reach My Potential reflects our belief at Appletree that every child can flourish as a writer with the right encouragement and opportunities. We provide a supportive, nurturing environment where pupils feel confident to experiment with language, express their ideas, and take pride in their achievements. Through engaging lessons, high‑quality modelling, and gentle guidance, children learn to persevere, refine their skills, and celebrate the progress they make. At Appletree, we want every child to understand that writing is a journey — one that helps them grow in confidence, discover their strengths, and reach their full potential.
I have opportunities
We believe that young children grow best when they are given plenty of inviting and meaningful opportunities to explore writing. Through playful activities, rich stories, and hands‑on experiences, pupils begin to see themselves as writers from the very start. We gently guide them as they experiment with marks, letters, and words, encouraging curiosity, confidence, and pride in every small step. Our nurturing environment ensures children feel safe to try new things, share their ideas, and celebrate their progress. At Appletree, every writing opportunity opens a door to imagination, self‑expression, and a lifelong love of learning.
I am happy and safe
At Appletree feeling happy and safe is at the heart of every child's writing journey because they know their ideas, stories, and voices are valued. Our writing environment is calm, welcoming, and encouraging, giving pupils the confidence to put their thoughts onto paper without fear of getting things “wrong.” Through gentle guidance, engaging activities, and plenty of praise, children learn that writing is a joyful way to express themselves and share what matters to them. We help them build positive relationships, celebrate each other’s efforts, and feel secure enough to take risks with their learning helping every child grow into a confident young writer ready to explore, create, and shine.
I am healthy
We help children understand that being healthy isn’t just about looking after their bodies it’s also about caring for their feelings and expressing themselves with confidence. Through writing, pupils learn to explore their thoughts, reflect on their emotions, and communicate what helps them feel calm, happy, and well. From drawing early mark‑making linked to healthy habits to writing simple sentences about feelings, food, exercise, and friendships, children discover that writing can support their wellbeing as much as it supports their learning. In our safe and nurturing environment, pupils are encouraged to share their ideas, celebrate positive choices, and grow into healthy, confident young writers who understand how to look after themselves inside and out.
Early Years Writing Curriculum
Writing in Early Years at Appletree First School is all about giving children the rich experiences they need to become confident, enthusiastic early writers. We know that young children learn best through play, exploration, and meaningful interactions, so we provide plenty of opportunities for mark‑making, storytelling, and experimenting with writing in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. From using chalks outside to writing shopping lists in role play, children build the strength, coordination, and language skills that form the foundations of writing. Adults model language, celebrate every attempt, and gently guide children as they begin to form letters, share ideas, and see themselves as writers. Our aim is for every child to feel proud of their early writing and excited to keep developing their skills as they grow.
KS1 and 2 Writing Curriculum
Key Stage One
We want children to feel excited and confident about writing. In Key Stage 1, we use Curious Quest, a playful and imaginative approach where children go on story‑based adventures that inspire them to write. Through characters, creative prompts and rich vocabulary, children write because they want to not because they have to.
We also use Literacy Tree, a high‑quality, book‑based programme that helps children develop strong writing skills through stories they love. It provides clear, supportive lesson sequences that help children build vocabulary, improve spelling, and develop confidence as writers.
Together, these approaches make writing meaningful, joyful and achievable for every child.
Key Stage Two
In Lower Key Stage 2, children at Appletree continue to develop as confident and independent writers through our use of Literacy Tree, a high‑quality, book‑based English programme. Literacy Tree provides teachers with expertly crafted lesson sequences built around rich, engaging texts, helping children strengthen vocabulary, spelling, sentence structure and overall writing quality. Its structured, literature‑led approach supports pupils in meeting curriculum expectations and deepening their understanding of how great writing is crafted.
This approach aligns with the National Curriculum for English, which requires children in Years 3 and 4 to plan, draft, evaluate and edit their writing; develop a wider range of sentence structures; build vocabulary; and apply accurate spelling and punctuation. Literacy Tree’s clear progression steps and book‑based units support teachers in delivering these statutory skills in a meaningful, child‑friendly way that keeps writing enjoyable and purposeful for all learners.
Our writting curriculum ensures our pupils receive a balanced writing education, one that develops both technical skills and a lifelong love for writing.
Celebrating Writing at Appletree
Handwriting at Appletree
At Appletree First School, children begin their writing journey through rich mark‑making opportunities in the Early Years. From drawing, painting and exploring patterns to early attempts at forming letters, children learn that marks carry meaning and that writing is a joyful way to communicate. As their skills develop, we use Read Write Inc. letter formation to teach children how to form each letter clearly and confidently through simple, memorable phrases. As pupils move into Key Stage 1 and beyond, we follow the Nelson Handwriting scheme, giving them a structured and consistent pathway towards fluent, joined handwriting. Throughout the school, our approach ensures children develop strong fine‑motor skills, correct letter formation, secure pencil grip and increased fluency. Together, these foundations help every child become a confident, capable and proud writer.