Intent
At Hanslope Primary School, we want all pupils to develop a fluent, legible and confident handwriting style that enables them to communicate their ideas effectively across the curriculum. We believe secure handwriting is an important part of transcription and supports pupils to write with independence, stamina and pride.
Implementation
- Handwriting is taught using Penpals for Handwriting.
- Each class has one short, focused handwriting input lesson per week.
- Daily independent handwriting practice follows the weekly input and lasts approximately 5-10 minutes as ‘morning work’.
- Teachers explicitly model the agreed handwriting style, including posture, pencil or pen grip, paper position, formation, joins and presentation expectations.
- Teachers adapt practice according to pupils' current handwriting stage, especially in mixed-year classes.
- Handwriting expectations are reinforced in English and across the wider curriculum.
- Completed practice sheets are stuck into pupils' English books so practice is visible and easy to monitor.
Impact
Pupils will develop accurate formation, increasing fluency and a clear, legible handwriting style. As handwriting becomes more automatic, pupils can focus more of their working memory on the content, structure and quality of their writing. By the end of primary school, pupils should be able to write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed, making appropriate choices about whether to join.
