The DfE’s new Writing Framework is hot off the press and it’s something we've been keenly anticipating here at Classroom Secrets.

The DfE’s new Writing Framework is hot off the press and it’s something we've been keenly anticipating here at Classroom Secrets. As educators, we all know the blank page can be utterly terrifying for children and this framework truly validates that feeling as it highlights just how challenging learning to write really is. It’s a huge relief to see such a clear articulation of the vital importance of writing for our pupils’ futures – in education, work and beyond. We’re particularly thrilled that the framework acknowledges how crucial early language development and oral composition are, especially when children are still grappling with the physical act of putting words down. It’s a core belief of ours that letting children talk through their ideas first is a game-changer for easing that cognitive load. 

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Reflecting on the framework, it feels like it speaks directly to so much of what we already strive for in our resources. For example, take the emphasis on a research-informed approach to teaching writing, which covers everything from talk and handwriting to sentence mastery, grammar, punctuation and feedback. This is precisely why our writing units are built around popular books. They always serve as fantastic models for creative and high-quality sentences. We don't just instruct children to write; we lead them on a genuine journey of exploring the language within these books through our meticulously crafted resources. With your expert modelling in the classroom, children gain the tools and confidence to truly get creative with their own writing. This links directly to the framework's encouragement of modelled and shared writing. Our Teacher Guidance documents underpin this as they offer clear overviews and engagement activities to immerse children in themes, all with explicit links to National Curriculum objectives.  Similarly, the framework’s call for shared writing and effective teaching approaches that gradually release responsibility to pupils is already present in our Teaching PowerPoints. They’re designed for dynamic shared activities, allowing you to demonstrate approaches, set expectations and easily adapt for individual needs.  

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The framework's insistence that "Effective composition...requires an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary" resonates deeply with us. We firmly believe that books are incredible word banks waiting to be explored and our resources are already designed to help children actively gather, understand and confidently apply this new vocabulary. The framework recommends explicit vocabulary instruction and repeated exposure and our Vocabulary Banks, Word Banks and Character Emotions resources specifically promote this. We also wholeheartedly support the framework's focus on transcription – handwriting and spelling – and the need to build fluency early on to free up cognitive space for composition. Our Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling (GPS) resources directly address this, covering National Curriculum objectives from Year 1 to Year 6. Our GPS teaching PowerPoints allow you to assess prior understanding and guide pupils through new concepts. This fosters the quality first teaching that the framework values so highly. Our accompanying worksheets provide extensive practice and our GPS display packs serve as constant, consistent visual reminders of key terms and rules, supporting the idea that vital, shared terminology should be visible across the school. 

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Finally, the framework's section on leadership and management of writing, including the role of effective assessment, is something we already held at the heart of our resources. Our assessment packs for Years 1 to 6 allow for precise monitoring of pupil progress, helping to pinpoint areas needing more practice and providing valuable preparation for statutory assessments. However, it’s not to say that our offering is by any means perfect or complete. We are committed to continuing to evolve what we provide to fully align with this new framework. In particular, we're beginning to enhance our spelling resources to put morphology even more firmly at the centre of our spelling teaching. We are determined to build on the framework's recommendations for developing pupils' knowledge of orthography and etymology too. We truly believe this comprehensive approach, which ensures children gain knowledge cumulatively, will further ignite their love of writing. 
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 Visit our wealth of writing resources here.