Writing - Composition

Non-chronological reports about animals are the standard entry point to information writing at KS1 because children are naturally interested in animals and already have background knowledge. The cross-curricular link to Science (living things, habitats) provides authentic content. The structured layout (title, subheadings, facts) teaches organisational skills transferable to all non-fiction writing.

Instruction writing is one of the most accessible non-fiction forms at KS1 because its structure is concrete and visual (numbered steps, imperative verbs). Using a humorous text as the model engages children while teaching the genuine features of the form. The task of writing real instructions that someone else follows provides authentic purpose.

Dogger provides a perfect model for Y2 narrative because its emotional arc is universally relatable (losing a beloved toy) and its structure is transparent. The five-part narrative structure (beginning, build-up, problem, resolution, ending) gives pupils a clear framework that is more sophisticated than KS1 beginning-middle-end but still manageable. The expanded noun phrases needed to describe the toy connect reading and grammar naturally.

Poetry is the first literary form most children encounter through nursery rhymes. At Y1, the focus is on enjoyment, recitation, and pattern recognition. Rhyming poems develop phonological awareness (hearing sounds in words) which supports phonics. Writing a simple rhyming poem using a pattern from a model is achievable and builds confidence with creative composition.

Y2 poetry builds on Y1 recitation by introducing alliteration and more varied forms. Silly poems and tongue twisters engage reluctant writers because the emphasis is on word play and sound rather than narrative coherence. Alliteration develops phonological awareness and vocabulary simultaneously. The performance element fulfils the statutory spoken language requirement.

Diary writing from a character's perspective bridges fiction and non-fiction: it uses recount conventions (chronological, past tense, time phrases) but requires imagination (adopting the character's voice and viewpoint). The Diary of a Killer Cat provides a strong, humorous model of personal voice that Y2 children can emulate. This prepares pupils for writing in role at KS2.

Personal recount is the simplest non-fiction form because children write about their own experience — they already know the content and sequence. This makes it ideal for teaching text structure (chronological order) and grammar (past tense) without the cognitive load of inventing content. Oral rehearsal (Tell your partner about your weekend) precedes writing.

Building on the first traditional tale unit, this unit introduces changing one story element as a scaffold to independent composition. Y1 children can manage changing the setting, the character, or the ending while retaining the familiar structure. The dialogue pattern (What big X you have!) is highly memorable and supports early speech punctuation awareness.

The Enormous Turnip extends traditional tale study at Y2 by introducing a cumulative structure (each new character joins the pulling chain). This pattern is highly scaffolded — children see the formula, internalise it, and can innovate by changing the object, setting, or characters. It also introduces writing from a different character's perspective, a Y2 composition skill.

Traditional tales are the entry point to narrative at KS1. The Three Billy Goats Gruff is ideal for Y1 because its repetitive structure, limited cast, and clear conflict support oral retelling before written retelling. The rule of three provides a scaffolding structure that Y1 children can internalise and replicate.

Teach oral rehearsal before writing by asking children to say their sentence aloud before putting pen to paper. In Year 1, children rehearse individual sentences: 'Tell me what you're going to write. Say it again. Now write it.' In Year 2, children rehearse sequences of sentences. Use partner talk so children practise their sentences with a peer. Oral rehearsal helps children hold the sentence in working memory, hear whether it makes sense grammatically, and focus on transcription (spelling and handwriting) during writing.

Children sometimes change their sentence between rehearsing it orally and writing it down, losing the grammatical structure or key vocabulary. Some children resist oral rehearsal, wanting to write immediately, but then lose track of their sentence midway through writing. Others rehearse a complete sentence but write only the first few words because they cannot hold the whole sentence in memory.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach sentence composition by building up from words to phrases to complete sentences. In Year 1, focus on writing simple sentences with a capital letter, finger spaces and a full stop. Use sentence stems ('I can see a...', 'The ___ is ___') to scaffold early sentence writing. In Year 2, extend to compound sentences using 'and', 'but', 'or', 'so' and begin subordination with 'when', 'if', 'because'. Model composing sentences through shared writing, thinking aloud about word choices and grammatical structures.

Children may write sentence fragments (e.g., 'The big dog.') or run-on sentences without punctuation. They often forget capital letters at the start of sentences or full stops at the end because they are concentrating on spelling. Some children write phrases or lists rather than complete sentences with a subject and verb.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach narrative sequencing by modelling how to write short stories or recounts in chronological order. Use time connectives (first, then, next, after that, finally) to structure the sequence. Provide picture prompts or story maps that children follow when writing. Start with retelling familiar stories before moving to original narratives. In Year 1, aim for 3-4 sequenced sentences; in Year 2, extend to 6-8 sentences with clear beginning, middle and end.

Children often write narratives that are heavily front-loaded, with extensive detail about the beginning and very little about the middle or end. They may use 'and then' repeatedly instead of varying connectives. Some children struggle to maintain a consistent narrative thread, introducing unrelated events.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach children to reread their writing as they go, checking that each sentence makes sense. Model this during shared writing: write a sentence, then read it back pointing to each word. In Year 1, focus on checking that the sentence sounds right and that no words have been missed. In Year 2, extend to checking spelling, punctuation and grammatical sense. Use a 'read it back' routine where children reread every sentence immediately after writing it and again at the end of the piece.

Children often 'read' what they intended to write rather than what is actually on the page, missing errors. They may read too quickly to catch missing words or incorrect spellings. Some children see rereading as a separate activity done at the end rather than an ongoing part of the writing process.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Introduce different text types through reading before asking children to write them. Cover key purposes: narrative (stories), recount (retelling events), instruction (how to do something), information (facts about a topic), letters, and poetry. Discuss the features of each text type explicitly: 'Instructions use numbered steps and bossy verbs.' Provide model texts and writing frames to scaffold early attempts. Ensure children understand that the purpose of writing determines its form and language choices.

Children may default to narrative structure for all writing, including instructions and information texts. They may not understand that different purposes require different language features (e.g., imperative verbs in instructions, past tense in recounts). Some children focus on content without considering who they are writing for.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach planning as an essential step before writing, appropriate to the child's stage. In Year 1, planning is oral: 'Tell me what you're going to write about. What will happen first? Then what?' In Year 2, introduce simple written plans: boxing up (dividing the page into sections for each part of the text), story maps, bullet point lists, or pictorial plans. Ensure planning is quick and purposeful, not an elaborate task in itself. The plan should help children hold their ideas in sequence.

Children sometimes treat planning as a finished piece of writing in itself, spending more time on the plan than on the actual text. Some children plan but then ignore their plan when writing. Others resist planning because they want to start writing immediately, but then lose track of their ideas midway through.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach evaluation of own writing through guided questions: 'Does your writing make sense? Have you included the things on your plan? Does it have a beginning, middle and end? Have you used interesting words?' In Year 2, introduce peer evaluation where children read their writing to a partner and receive feedback. Use success criteria or a simple checklist so children know what to look for. Model self-evaluation during shared writing, showing how to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Children may evaluate their writing purely on neatness rather than content and structure. They may be reluctant to identify areas for improvement, seeing evaluation as criticism. Peer evaluation can become unfocused unless children are given specific criteria to consider.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach proof-reading as a final check of transcription accuracy — spelling, punctuation and handwriting. Distinguish proof-reading from editing (which changes content and vocabulary). In Year 1, focus on checking capital letters and full stops. In Year 2, add checking for spelling of common exception words and correct use of other punctuation. Teach children to use a coloured pencil to mark corrections neatly. Use a proof-reading checklist that children can follow independently.

Children often confuse proof-reading with editing, wanting to rewrite whole sections rather than correcting transcription errors. They may skim-read too quickly and miss errors. Some children identify errors but do not know how to correct them. Others may 'correct' words that were actually right, introducing new errors.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Provide regular opportunities for children to read their own writing aloud to a partner, a group or the class. Teach children to read with expression, varying their voice for questions, exclamations and dialogue. In Year 1, focus on reading clearly and audibly. In Year 2, develop attention to intonation, pace and expression that matches the meaning. Use shared reading of texts as models for expressive reading. Give feedback on performance as well as content.

Children may read their own writing in a monotone because they are focused on decoding their own handwriting and spelling. Some children read too quietly to be heard or too fast to be understood. Others may add expression that does not match the content because they are performing rather than communicating meaning.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.