Handwriting Presentation
Intent:
We believe that all pupils should be able to write confidently and clearly in order to communicate their knowledge, ideas and emotions and share their written work with others. To take pride in the presentation of their work in all subjects.
Implementation:
Skills are taught progressively across year groups: starting with correct letter formation in EYFS, pre-cursive in Y1/2 and cursive in KS2 or when they are ready. leading to handwriting improving over time. Cursive handwriting is modelled by staff and through displays.
Impact:
All children will develop a comfortable, effective pencil grip and a legible style of handwriting which will increase their writing stamina and ability to write at greater length for a wide audience. Most children will develop cursive handwriting by the time they leave.
At Benington we now use a ‘Cursive’ system for handwriting to ensure a uniform approach to letter formation, leading to a more effective, fluent and legible joined style.
Writing using this system enables children to write with increased flow and allows them to concentrate on the content of their work and correct spelling. Each letter starts on the line, so the pen flows and does not leave the page during a word.
Why Cursive?
- Research suggests that learning a cursive handwriting style earlier, improves presentation.
- There is evidence to suggest that children with fine motor difficulties and spelling difficulties do better if they do not have to take their pencil off the page and the writing flows.
- Teaching the ‘leads in’ as well as the ‘leads out’ of letters helps children to join correctly – by the end of Key Stage 2 the expectation is that children will have a neat, joined style.
- Other small schools in the local area that have adopted the cursive format have achieved outstanding results.
