The importance of handwriting should not be under-estimated. Good handwriting is an essential skill and must be actively taught by demonstration, explanation and practice across the whole school. A good standard of neat handwriting is a life skill, which enhances the presentation of work across different areas of the curriculum.
We believe that handwriting is a developmental process with its own distinctive stages of progression from letter formation through to letter joins while practising speed and fluency. Being taught letter formation in the correct families during the early foundation years of a child’s education will ensure a lasting and fluent handwriting habit. It is of utmost priority that the correct letter formation, letter direction and spacing are all embedded and used with skill before introducing joined up handwriting.
Handwriting will be taught as a specific skill, little and often, with a structured handwriting lesson every week and regular practise throughout the week, using the Morrells Handwriting workbooks. Each handwriting lesson will include warm up activities to help gross and fine motor skills. In EYFS children will begin learning letter formation following the Little Wandle Letter and Sounds Revised letter formation phrases but following the progression outlined within the Morrells scheme. This will be continued at the start of Year 1 and children will progress through each of the 6 workbooks as they move towards the end of Year 6.
By the end of Year 6, the aim is for all children to have developed a clear, consistent joined handwriting style, enabling them to write neatly and legibly.
