Teaching Strong Foundations in Writing - Y1 & Y2
Summary
Overview
KS1 teachers will have a clear understanding of the research and rationale underpinning best practice in the teaching of early writing. Training will be broken down into small steps so that practitioners have the opportunity to apply each aspect in their classrooms, before reflecting on its impact during follow up sessions.
The focus of these sessions is to develop effective teaching of strong foundations in writing across KS1, ensuring that all pupils make progress. There will be a strong focus on supporting learners to develop fluency and automaticity in the transcriptional elements of writing to reduce the cognitive load required of young writers in writing composition.
These sessions will include a mix of subject knowledge and pedagogy and will be closely linked to the recent Ofsted publication, Strong Foundations in the First Years of School (2024) and the DfE's Writing Framework (2025). A range of scaffolding techniques, including oracy, to support young writers will be introduced alongside advice on the removal of scaffolding to lead to independence. Gap tasks will be set for teachers to ensure development of teaching practice in the planning and teaching of writing for all learners in KS1.
These sessions will also provide opportunities to develop generic subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in writing, share good practice and network with other schools.
Course Content:
Session 1: Understand the teaching of writing and the cognitive load required to write effectively. Teach strong foundations in handwriting and phonics for spelling to build fluency and automaticity. Use dictation as a tool. Understand end of year expectations for Y1&Y2 and how to support LA writers and stretch and challenge able writers. Use scaffolds to support accurate writing of sentences and build strong foundations in age related grammar expectations. How to plan sequences of lessons to support the focus on building strong foundations in writing.
Session 2: Develop effective teaching of strong foundations in writing through linked shared and guided writing.
Gap task: Video an example of your teaching of shared and guided writing.
Session 3: Develop the teaching of strong foundations in English through video coaching of shared and guided writing. Reflect and build on strategies to develop independent writing.
Session 4: Develop composition through the use of oracy. Reduce the complexity of tasks required of young writers: planning for progression.
When completing this booking form, you will be booked onto all four training dates as below. (The booking confirmation will only show the date for session 1)
Session Dates:
Session 1: Tuesday 6th October 2026, 9am – 3pm, NSPCC
Session 2: Thursday 3rd December 2026, 8.45 am – 11.45am, NSPCC
Session 3: Tuesday 9th February 2027, 8.45 am – 11.45pm, NSPCC
Session 4: Tuesday 27th April 2027, 8.45am – 11.45am, NSPCC
Recommended for
KS1 teachers (who are second year ECTs and beyond) and subject leaders who have not previously undertaken the course. Also appropriate for Y3 teachers to support lower ability pupils.
Venue
NSPCC National Training Centre, 3 Gilmour Close, Leicester LE4 1EZ
Cost
Free for Leicester City maintained schools. £395 for non-maintained city schools and all Leicestershire schools.
Further Information
For further information, visit the PDL website, or contact beth.dixon@sdsa.net
