Handwriting Policy and Progression

Handwriting is an essential skill for life and it is the responsibility of all teachers to facilitate the development of this skill. Accurate letter formation and cursive style enables people to communicate clearly and quickly in written form. This policy sets the expectations for handwriting for children, teachers and support staff at King’s Hawford and should be read in conjunction with the school’s Presentation Policy, English Policy, Marking Policy and ARRP.

Whole school principles of handwriting

Mistakes should be crossed out with a straight line and pencil, or rubbed out if appropriate.

Different children develop at different speeds and some find it particularly hard to write neatly. Whilst expectations should remain high, it is also desirable that a positive and encouraging approach is maintained.

Errors and misconceptions in handwriting should be corrected by teachers through the usual feedback processes.

Capital letters are not joined and apostrophes create a break in letter joins. Teachers should model using the school’s cursive style and comments in books

should follow the same format.

Lower case letter formation

Upper case letter formation

Reception

Cursive letter formation is introduced in Reception. By the end of Reception children should know and form the cursive lower case letters and the capital letters. Reception children will begin to practise joining letters.

Accurate cursive letters are practised and mostly accurately formed. The size of letters may not be consistent but ascending and descending letters are clear.

Year 1

Throughout Year 1, accurate joining should be taught. By the end of Year 1, all children should know how to and demonstrate accurate joins and letter formation. Letter sizing should be generally consistent. Ascending and descending letters should be clear and correct in proportion.

Year 2

In Year 2, children are expected to join their handwriting in accurate cursive script. Letter formation should be consistent, with accurate ascending letters and descending letters, which are in proportion to the rest of the script.

Whilst the letter formation is not perfect and always consistent, the cursive lettering is well maintained and non-ascending letters are consistent in height.

Year 3

Children who demonstrate consistent letter formation, accurate cursive script and who can maintain neat presentation may begin writing with a handwriting pen (writing does not need to be perfect for children to start writing in pen). Children’s writing should become consistent in height and proportion in Year 3. Writing should increase in fluency and speed.

Ascending letters are mostly accurate. The t ascends too long and is crossed too high. However, cursive script is well maintain and letter formation is predominantly accurate.

Year 4

Children in Year 4 should write with consistent, accurate cursive script. Letter formation should be clear, due to the accuracy of joins and ascending and descending letters should be accurately proportioned. The style may alter at times, but should be increasingly settled between pieces of work.

Year 5

Throughout Year 5, all children should begin or continue writing in handwriting or fountain pen. Children who are not writing at an adequate standard should receive additional support in this area from form and English teachers.

Joins are precise, letters are consistent in height. Suitable gaps are left for apostrophes.

Year 6

Children in year 6 should write with a consistent and fluent, cursive style. Letters should be consistent and in proportion, with appropriate letter sizing.

The writing has a natural and fluent style. Letter formation is accurate and the flicks are consistently not used for certain letters. It is appropriate for a child to develop their own style once maintained, accurate script is the habit. A gap should be left where an apostrophe is used.