Writing is one of the most complex skills pupils learn.
The writing framework highlights that it takes time, practice and thoughtful guidance. For pupils to thrive as writers, they need more than just good teaching. Whether you lead literacy across your school or alongside others, this article gives you practical steps and reflection prompts to support you in making writing valued and accessible for all.
From creating a whole-school writing culture to developing an effective curriculum and using different types of assessment, here are some ways you can help pupils feel confident to write and help teachers feel equipped to support them.
Create a positive writing culture
A positive writing culture means every pupil feels they can succeed. Your role as a leader is to make sure no one slips through the cracks. Everyone should get the support and encouragement they need to keep up and enjoy writing.
Writing should never feel like a chore or an afterthought. When pupils see the link between reading and writing, they start to understand how the two work together. Reading widely introduces new ideas and vocabulary; writing regularly helps pupils practise and build confidence.
In a great school, pupils write every day (Graham, 2012). However, their writing needs to be meaningful, linked to what they’re learning, who they’re writing for, and why it matters. No matter the purpose, pupils should feel their work is valued and part of something bigger.
Build a culture where writing is celebrated – from first scribbles in Reception to thoughtful essays in Year 6. Writing is a journey for every pupil. Some race ahead, others need more support – but with the right leadership, everyone gets a chance to find their voice.
You help make this happen by supporting your staff, setting high expectations, and making writing feel like a natural, important part of school life.
Reflection prompts:
- How do you help teachers and teaching assistants create a positive writing culture?
- How do you create opportunities for pupils to explore topics they enjoy and develop a love for writing?
Action steps:
- Provide staff with practical tools, planning support and professional development focused on effective writing teaching.
- Check in regularly on how writing is being taught and experienced, listen to feedback from staff and pupils, and make changes where needed to keep improving.
Build a team of expert teachers
As literacy lead, you shape writing across your school. This role carries real responsibility – strong subject knowledge, thoughtful coordination and a clear enthusiasm for literacy all matter. While your passion sets the direction, lasting change comes from building a team who share your commitment and work together to strengthen writing for every pupil.
If you share literacy responsibility with another leader, such as a reading lead, close collaboration is essential. Planning together and coordinating your approach helps pupils experience a joined-up and consistent approach to literacy.
Involve your special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENCO) too. Their expertise is vital in identifying barriers and making sure pupils with additional needs receive tailored support. By working together, you can adapt your literacy approach, so no one is left behind.
When leaders work as a team, everyone knows what’s happening and pupils get the best support possible.
Reflection prompts:
- How confident am I in my subject knowledge for writing, and where could I strengthen my expertise?
- Who is part of my literacy team, and how often do we meet to discuss and plan our approach?
Action steps:
- Set aside time for the literacy team – including reading leads and the SENCO – to meet, share insights and plan a joined-up approach.
- Make sure all staff understand the school’s literacy approach and their role in supporting both reading and writing.
Develop an effective writing curriculum
A clear, well-sequenced curriculum gives pupils the best chance to succeed – not just in English, but in every subject. Think carefully about how everything fits together, so pupils don’t get overwhelmed.
When introducing new skills, it helps to space things out and build on what your pupils already know (Engelmann, 2014). It’s also important to think about reading and writing together, not as separate things. By linking reading and writing in your curriculum, you make it easier for pupils to make connections and progress steadily. A well-sequenced curriculum means your pupils have time to practise, revisit tricky areas and build their confidence step by step.
Reflection prompts:
- How does your school ensure that the writing curriculum is well-sequenced and balanced with reading?
- How do you make sure pupils have enough time to practise writing and explore different types of text?
Action steps:
- Map out a curriculum that starts with making sure pupils get confident with transcription first, then builds up to teaching sentences and other elements of writing.
- Plan when to introduce new writing skills so pupils aren’t overloaded, and make sure each step builds on what they’ve already learned.
Focus on inclusive practice
Every pupil deserves the chance to learn to write well including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This means making writing lessons accessible and adapting teaching where needed so every child can take part and make progress.
It’s not just about having high expectations. You need to make sure the right support is in place so pupils can reach them. Ideally, you’ll teach writing to all pupils together, within regular English lessons, rather than pulling some children out for separate teaching. This way, everyone gets the same rich experience, and no one misses out on important learning. It also helps pupils feel included and part of the class, rather than singled out or left behind.
Some pupils might need extra help, adjustments or specific interventions but these should be tightly matched to need and built into everyday teaching as much as possible. By planning lessons that work for everyone and making adaptations where needed, you give all pupils the chance to build their writing skills and grow in confidence. To enable this, teachers should build a range of strategies that they can use flexibly to meet individual needs and use these as the foundation for classroom teaching for all pupils (Mitchell, 2014).
You play a big role in making this happen – by supporting your staff, checking progress, and making sure your curriculum is both ambitious and inclusive.
Reflection prompts:
- How does your school ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND, receive high-quality writing instruction?
- What kinds of additional support do pupils at risk of falling behind receive, and how is this support provided in a timely and effective way?
Action steps:
- Talk to pupils about what’s working for them and where they need more help, so you can adjust your teaching quickly.
- Collaborate to make sure strategies and resources for pupils with SEND are effective and fit naturally into English lessons.
Balance formative and summative assessment
Assessment is not an afterthought to teaching; it is central to shaping how teaching happens. (Stiggins, 2002). Both formative and summative assessments help you understand how pupils are progressing.
Formative assessment is about keeping track as pupils go along - listening to them read their work, having quick chats, giving feedback that helps them improve bit by bit. It helps teachers spot where someone might be struggling or ready for a new challenge
Summative assessment is more about looking at the bigger picture. It’s checking in at certain points –at the end of a term or a unit – to see what pupils have achieved and whether they’ve met the learning goals. These assessments help you and your team see how well your curriculum is working and identify any gaps that need more attention.
Using both types of assessment together gives you a fuller picture of each pupil’s writing journey. It means you can offer the right support at the right time, celebrate progress and make sure everyone is moving forward.
Reflection prompts:
- How does your school balance formative and summative assessments in writing?
- How do you use assessments to inform teaching and support pupils’ progress effectively?
Action steps:
- Use what you learn from formative and summative assessments to tweak approaches, adjust curriculums, and identify how to stretch pupil learning.
- Meet regularly with colleagues to discuss assessment findings, share strategies, and make plans to keep improving writing across the school.
This explainer is part of a series for teachers and school leaders on how to navigate the writing framework. Explore the other articles.
References:
- Education Endowment Foundation (2025). ‘Special educational needs in mainstream schools: Guidance report’.
- Engelmann, s. (2014) Successful and Confident Students with Direct Instruction. Eugene, OR: NIFDI Press.
- Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D’Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers: A practice guide (NCEE 2012- 4058). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED533112.pdf
- Mitchell, D. (2014) What Really Works in Special and Inclusive Education, Oxford: Routledge.
- Stiggins, R. J. (2002). Assessment Crisis: The Absence of Assessment for Learning. Phi Delta Kappan, 83(10), 758-765.
