Reviewed: Autumn 2006

This policy was written and amended by Mrs J. Cooper ( Literacy Subject Leader)

Shephalbury Park Primary School

Handwriting Policy

Mission Statement
Shephalbury Park Primary School will enable children to become confident, tolerant and
creative individuals who are multi-skilled and able to adapt to the fast changing world.

They will be happy, satisfied and positive people who will be keen to participate in a full
and enriching life, while reaching their full potential.

Rationale
Children should be able to write quickly and legibly without having to think about the
formation of letters. This will allow them to concentrate on their composing skills.

Legal Requirements

Handwriting is part of English, a National Curriculum core subject, and is covered in the
attainment target of Writing.
The school will follow the requirements of the National Curriculum as set out in The
National Curriculum Handbook for primary teachers in England (DfEE, 1999)
and in Years 1 to 4 will follow the guidance on handwriting contained in The National
Literacy Strategy Framework for teaching (DfEE, 1999). The Foundation Stage will
follow the QCA Curriculum guidance (DfEE 2000).
 Aims
As a school our aims in teaching handwriting are that the children will:

• Form letters correctly

• Develop a fluent, individual and legible style of joined handwriting

• Take pride in the presentation of their work and therefore study

handwriting with a sense of achievement.

• Understand the importance of clear and neat presentation in order to

communicate their meaning clearly.

• Be able to write quickly to aid expressing themselves creatively and

imaginatively.

• Use their skills with confidence in real life situations.

Objectives

The children will:

• Develop speed and rhythm using familiar patterns, shapes and words.
• Learn to write well formed and easily recognisable letters
• Be taught to join the letters of his/her own names and to join blends and
diagraphs from their introduction
• Be encouraged to join the letters of known words
• See the teacher as a role model demonstrating good practice
• Experience a rich variety of print styles and media
• Write in a joined style, fluently with speed
• Produce clear and legible writing in printing and cursive styles
• Learn to use appropriate presentational devices for tasks
• Present clear and attractive work

Practice in School
Teachers will assess children’s abilities by observing children working and by looking at
their independent work. Work will be planned so that lessons and activities build upon
what the child can already do, taking into account the need for consolidation and
practise according to the child’s level of hand-eye co-ordination, fine motor control and
rate of learning. Once a child has developed an ability to manipulate a pencil with
reasonable control they will be introduced to letter formation.

Handwriting/ Pre-Handwriting lessons/activities will be differentiated and taught daily

in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2, Years 3 and 4 will be taught
handwriting in differentiated groups 4 times a week combined with spelling patterns. It
is expected that there will be an increased level of differentiation as the children get
older.
It is expected that by Years 5 and 6 formal handwriting lessons will not be necessary
for the main body of children, however, some individuals depending on their individual
needs may still require daily practise. Once the child is correctly forming his/her letters
a handwriting pen will be used rather than a pencil.
Both the teacher and the teaching assistant will act as models for correct handwriting
patterns/ letter formation and support individual groups and individuals.
As far as possible, handwriting objectives should be linked to other areas of learning
and should be reinforced throughout the curriculum, ensuring that children apply their
skills and do not just practise them in isolation.

• The Pen/Pencil Hold.

The pen or pencil should be held firmly but without tension between the thumb
and forefinger. The forefinger should be slightly in front of the thumb and
about 3cm or so from the point. It should be supported behind by the middle
finger in a three -pronged grip and cradled at the other end between the thumb
and forefinger. The disengaged fingers should not be curled into the palm of the
hand but be only slightly turned. Clenching the fist tensions the muscles at the
back of the hand and produces writer’s cramp.
By far the most important thing is to consider whether the grip is relaxed.
The paper should be held with the disengaged hand either above or below the
writing.
As the writing progresses down the page children should learn to move the paper
up and away from the body, with the disengaged hand, rather than move the
writing hand down the page.

Posture and position

• Lean slightly forward over desk or table.

• Place both feet flat on the floor facing towards the desk.
• The paper needs to be directly in front of the writer.
• Rest forearm and hand on the desk.
• Keep head up.
• Right-handed - Tilt the exercise book down to the left.
• Left-handed Tilt the exercise book down to the right.
 • Sit straight facing the desk or table.
• The writing hand should rest on the desk to just below the elbow.
• Appropriate sized furniture is used.

When to join?

Handwriting/ Pre-Handwriting lessons/activities will be differentiated and taught daily

in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1. (Appendix 1 for an example of suitable pre-
handwriting activities).
As children develop their letter formations they are taught to add on the joining ‘flick’.
Children are encouraged to join letters as they are deemed ready (See Appendix 2 for
the agreed order and style of letters). From Year 1, phonic blends are taught and
presented to children as joined letters and they are generally expected to copy this
style.

Supporting left-handed children.

The needs of left-handed children need to be taken into account. If they are sitting
next to a right-handed child the teacher will ensure that they sit to the left, with their
paper turned so that the bottom right-hand corner is towards them and ensuring that
the child does not hook his/her hand around in order to see what they are writing. The
child will be encouraged to hold their pencil slightly higher up so they can see the point.
For some children a ribbed rather than a smooth pencil may be easier to hold. A higher
chair will enable them to see their work more clearly.

Special Needs.

Strategies for dealing with children who experience difficulties with:

a) Pen/Pencil Grip

A piece of masking tape, a notch or paint mark will act as a reminder for placement of
fingers.

Putting a rubber band round the pencil may help in the early stages.

It may help to verbalise directions to hold the pencil that the child can repeat to guide
his/her movements.

Use pencil grips.

If the child has trouble holding a pencil the teacher should note whether he/she has
trouble gripping other things.

Children transferring from other schools.

Children entering school from another may have been taught a different style of
handwriting. If they have a style that is neat, legible and fluent then it is in their
interest not to expect a significant change to their style.

If the child transfers before they have been taught a joined style then they should be
taught with the rest of the children.

Assessment and Record keeping

Teachers will assess children’s abilities by observing children working and by looking at
their independent work.
As children are taught handwriting, and on occasions when children are encouraged to
practice their best handwriting, continuous monitoring occurs.
Teachers are therefore easily able to identify the children who are making little or no
progress.

Reporting

Formal Parents’ Evenings are held twice yearly to report pupil’s progress and share
information. Opportunities will be made to encourage pupils in their progress by sending
home improved work to be shared with parent/carer and through inviting parents to view
displayed work.

Each year staff will provide parents with a written report which highlights pupil
progress and identifies any difficulties they may be experiencing.

Roles and Responsibilities

Literacy Subject Leader:

The Literacy Subject Leader will be responsible to ensure that:

• Class teachers are aware of the school agreed handwriting programme (See
appendix 2) and also are aware of the Nelson Handwriting resources to give
ideas.

• Learning goals, activities and assessment are identified in teaching plans

• Pupils’ work is valued and displayed appropriately

• Those with motor control difficulties will have access to word processing

• Appropriate resources and support is available

Class Teachers

The class teacher has the responsibility to support the learning which takes place within
the classroom.

The class teacher will ensure that:

• The learning task and success criteria is known to all pupils and is related to and
builds upon prior learning

• Suitable pre-handwriting skills are taught daily in the Foundation Stage.

• The correct letter formation for lower and upper case letters and their agreed
order is taught in Key Stage 1 and 2.

• A variety of teaching strategies take account of different pupil learning styles

and abilities

• Pupils efforts are acknowledged and displayed appropriately

• Pupils with difficulties in handwriting will be brought to the attention of the

SENCo

• Assessment will be used to inform planning

 Resources

Appendix 1: Foundation Stage Activity Ideas for the development of pre-handwriting

skills.

Appendix 2: The agreed cursive style of handwriting and the order in which letters are
to be taught.

Nelson New Handwriting Books for ideas and to act as further support