Top 4 Takeaways from The Writing Framework.

The new DfE Writing Framework is full of useful detail, but in case you snowed under I wanted to bring you my top 4 takeaways. The good news is that these four key ideas do most of the heavy lifting. If schools really get these four right, they’ll feel the biggest difference in children’s writing.

The first idea is all about getting the basics sorted early on. Handwriting and spelling might sound old-fashioned, but they’re the foundation of everything else. When children can form letters and spell words automatically, they’re freed up to focus on what they actually want to say. If they’re still battling with how to write a word, there’s not much brain space left for crafting a story or building an argument. That’s why those short, daily handwriting and spelling sessions in Reception and Year 1 matter so much. They might not look exciting, but they’re what make confident, fluent writers later on.

The second big message is to build strong sentences before asking for long pieces of writing. Every bit of writing, from a story to a science explanation, is really just a collection of sentences joined together. So if pupils can’t control a sentence, the rest will wobble too. The framework also reminds us that grammar isn’t meant to be a set of random rules, it’s there to help children express meaning. Teaching grammar through real writing, not disconnected exercises, helps it stick. The more pupils practise saying and playing with sentences, the more natural writing becomes.

Then there’s talk. It’s easy to forget that spoken language is the foundation of writing, especially in the early years. The framework stresses that children should be saying sentences before they write them. Talking helps them organise their thoughts, try out vocabulary and rehearse what they want to put on paper. In Reception this is huge as when children are still learning how to form letters, talking through ideas gives them a safe, confident way to start composing. It’s amazing how much easier writing becomes when they can already hear the sentence in their head.

The final idea is about spotting and supporting pupils who need extra help, making writing part of every subject, and building a strong whole-school culture. If a child struggles with writing, we shouldn’t wait to see if they’ll “catch up” later as intervening early makes all the difference. And writing shouldn’t live only in English lessons. When children write in science, history and geography, they start to see writing as a way of thinking and communicating, not just another classroom task. To keep this going, schools need leadership that values writing, plans for progression and makes sure every teacher feels confident teaching it.

These four ideas,master the basics, build sentences first, use talk as a bridge to writing, and support every child within a strong writing culture, deliver most of the impact. They link the physical side of writing with the creative side and give every child a fair shot at success. Get these right, and everything else in the framework starts to fall into place naturally.

If you want more information or support on writing in your school then get in touch with us and find out what you can access.