Handwriting

Capel-le-Ferne Primary School Handwriting Policy

Children will learn cursive writing from the beginning of school.

	Class R	Class 1	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4	Class 5	Class 6
Term 1	Gross motor	Practise and consolidate cursive formation Focus upon strong pencil grip Formation and proportion	Diagonal joins e.g.	Focus upon size, proportion and spacing	Ensure consistency, size and proportion Continue if necessary	Practise consistency, size and proportion
Term 2	Fine motor and pattern making		Horizontal joins e.g.			Intervention based Fine motor skills sessions once a week for children struggling
Term 3	Single cursive letters		Diagonal with ascenders e.g.
Term 4			Horizontal with ascenders e.g.	Focus upon speed, fluency and legibility
Term 5			Consolidate with full word formation
Term 6

Sessions to be carried out – 20 minutes per session

Each taught session should have the teacher modelling correct formation, children try and teacher with TA walk around and correct instantly to prevent mistakes continuing. Work needs to be dated.

Session to be marked by highlighting best example and underlining errors, these can then be corrected during practise sessions.

Gross and fine motor skill development

3 sessions,

2 taught (modelled)

1 practise

3 sessions,

2 taught (modelled)

1 practise

Twice a week

1 taught

1 practise

Twice a week practise (taught if particular concern)

5 and 6

Intervention based unless particular issue

Sequence letters to be taught – to be moved on when children are confident in formation

First

Second

Third

Fourth

Fifth

Rockin’ round letters

a d g q c o

Climb ‘n’ slide letters

I u w t l h i

Loopy letters

e k f j

Lumpy letters

n m v x

Mix ‘n’ match

p r s y z b

Letter formation

Children will be awarded a pen license once the teacher is happy that their writing is consistent, joining letters with good formation and proportion. If their writing declines in quality they will be given three chances before losing their license until improvement is seen.