Handwriting
Handwriting at WHCPS
At Whitehouse Common Primary School, handwriting is taught from Reception through to Year 6. In Reception, children follow the Little Wandle progression in daily handwriting lessons. From Year 1 to 6, the children access weekly handwriting lessons, learning to form and join their letters through the Nelson Handwriting scheme. both approaches link phonics, spelling and handwriting together with teacher modelling at the fore.
Handwriting is a huge part of the new National Curriculum and is always a priority. By the end of Key Stage Two children need to be able to write using a joined up font with efficiency, fluency and speed - as such, it is important that children develop good habits from an early age!
The Little Wandle Handwriting programme provides a structured approach to teaching handwriting right from the start of Reception. It has been developed around research into the teaching of writing and national requirements and guidance, including the National Curriculum in England, the Writing Framework and Ofsted findings. The programme has been carefully designed to support the development of legible and fluent handwriting using an easy-to-follow approach with consistent routines and memorable mantras.
Handwriting remains a crucial skill in a child’s development and daily functioning, even in our increasingly digital world. As educators, it’s important to understand why handwriting matters and how to communicate its value to children and parents.
In the same way that teaching children to decode and blend with automaticity enables children to think about the meaning of what they are reading, when children’s transcription skills become automatic and they develop fluent handwriting, then their minds are freed to think about what they are writing.
Please see attached the formation phrases for lower-case letters, capital letters and digits 0 to 9 for guidance on how these are taught in the early years.
Through the Nelson Handwriting Programme, children develop a confident and personal handwriting style with a consistent whole-school approach. Lessons. The programme includes text books used within the lessons and a guided practice progression and is aligned with the Department for Education's 2025 Writing Framework - helping children build fluency and confidence in writing.
Key terms used in school
- Clockwise / Anticlockwise
- Vertical / Horizontal
- Diagonal
- Ascender (letters that reach the top of the line b,d,f,h,k,l,t)
- Descender (letters that fall below the line f,g,j,p,y)
- Break Letters (letters that do not join (b,g,j,p,q,x,y,z)
- Parallel
- Slopped
Joins (Nelson Handwriting Scheme)
The children will be taught four main joins. These are:
1. To letters without ascenders (um ig)
2. To letters with ascenders (for example ch ol)
3. Horizontal joins (for example od ve)
4. Horizontal joins to letters with ascenders (wl of)
Example
Pen Licences
Children in Year 4, 5 and 6 can earn their pen licences. When children are able to
produce neat, fluent and joined handwriting in a range of subjects (English, Science and
Topic) they will take a sample of their books to the headteacher. They will then receive
their pen and a pen licence certificate.
To see the pen licence information sheet for children, click on the file below:
Position and Posture
Children need to be sitting up straight with their feet flat on the floor however, it is
important they need to feel comfortable and relaxed. Children should be encouraged to
have their paper positioned straight in front of them or with a slight slant.
Pencil Grip
Right Handers – Tripod grip, pencil should be held between the thumb and forefinger,
roughly about 2/3cm from the tip and the middle finger should provide extra support.
The pencil/pen should rest on the end joint of the middle and the other fingers should
rest lightly on the paper. The pencil should be held lightly and in a relaxed manner.
Left Handers – The method is very similar apart from the grip of the pencil being
slight higher so the child is able to see what has been written. This will also mean their
writing is not smudged by their hand.
How can you help?
Most importantly, you can show your child that you value and admire the skill.
Have a small selection of handwriting materials readily available at home. This could
include: soft pencils (B Grade), fibre-tip pens and some sheets of A4 typing paper are
enough for a start.
Let handwriting play a part in your family’s daily life, for example…..
- making lists and labels
- keeping a family diary
- leaving notes for each other in busy households
- keeping in touch with distant friends and relatives
- designing and making home-made notelets, greetings cards and menus.
These websites also offer some ideas and guidance: