English – Writing

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How do you teach English at Milestone Academy?

Milestone Academy is dedicated to providing our students with the best possible learning opportunities across all areas of the curriculum. We recognise that English plays a key role in everything we do and believe that our students should be exposed to consistent and outstanding learning opportunities in English, extending across all other subject areas.

Milestone’s English Curriculum, prioritises the individual needs of the students, is enriched with age-appropriate materials and promotes high expectations for all through challenges and opportunities.

In consultation with schools across Kent, we have developed a progress-based curriculum which will see students supported in an age and ability-appropriate manner, with opportunities for structured learning and clear progression steps.

The English Curriculum is divided into four key strands as outlined in the National Curriculum (2014):

  • Writing: Handwriting, Transcription, Composition, Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation
  • Reading: Word Reading and Composition (Understanding and Responding)
  • Speaking: Expressive Communication
  • Listening: Receptive Communication

What does our curriculum look like?

At Milestone, students follow an individualised and sequenced curriculum pathway dependent on their needs, start points and aspirations for the future.

Our English curriculum for each pathway include the following core elements:

  • Brook: Regular sensory/massage stories, intensive interaction, gross motor activities and specific target work.
  • Stream: Regular gross/fine motor activities such as Write Dance and Clever Fingers, weekly library sessions with opportunities for whole class and 1:1 reading, daily phonics/initial sound lessons following the Read Write Inc. programme and opportunities for developing communication and understanding.
  • River: Regular fine motor activities such as Write Dance and Clever Fingers, weekly library sessions with opportunities for whole class and 1:1 reading, daily phonics/initial sound lessons following the Read Write Inc. programme, Write from the start, a pre-writing intervention scheme and opportunities for developing communication and comprehension.
  • Waterfall:  Regular fine motor activities such as Clever Fingers, weekly library sessions with opportunities for whole class and 1:1 reading, daily phonics lessons following the Read Write Inc. programme and polysyllabic words program, letter formation/handwriting activities and opportunities for developing communication and comprehension.
  • Phase 4 (including the Sixth Form): The functional skills based nature of our Phase 4 education does imply some slight changes to the English Curriculum for our oldest students, as at this stage our students can begin to seek accreditation courses.

Primary – Phases 1 & 2

Brook

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community. 
  • Encourage students to explore a range of experiences and resources to develop their fine and gross motor skills. 
  • Have access to a broad range of technology to support their learning and future beyond Milestone. 
  • Foster a love of writing by making sure writing is cross-curricular. 
  • Deliver a curriculum that is appropriately planned, so skills already taught can be built upon and address the gaps in students knowledge.  

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community. 
  • Encourage students to explore a range of experiences and resources to develop their fine and gross motor skills. 
  • Have access to a broad range of technology to support their learning and future beyond Milestone. 
  • Foster a love of writing by making sure writing is cross-curricular. 
  • Deliver a curriculum that is appropriately planned, so skills already taught can be built upon and address the gaps in students knowledge.  

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community. 
  • Encourage students to explore a range of experiences and resources to develop their fine and gross motor skills. 
  • Have access to a broad range of technology to support their learning and future beyond Milestone. 
  • Foster a love of writing by making sure writing is cross-curricular. 
  • Deliver a curriculum that is appropriately planned, so skills already taught can be built upon and address the gaps in students knowledge.  

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community. 
  • Encourage students to explore a range of experiences and resources to develop their fine and gross motor skills. 
  • Have access to a broad range of technology to support their learning and future beyond Milestone. 
  • Foster a love of writing by making sure writing is cross-curricular. 
  • Deliver a curriculum that is appropriately planned, so skills already taught can be built upon and address the gaps in students knowledge.  
Brook
  • With 1:1 adult support, students access write dance, mark making, messy play and ICT to promote writing skills. 
  • Students work on individualised physiotherapy programmes, have access to Aqualearn and Rebound, Intense Interaction and music Sessions to help develop their fine and gross motor skills.
  • Students take part in weekly Write Dance sessions. Write Dance is a progressive program which ensures the fundamentals of mark making and emerging writing skills are achieved before students begin to trace, copy-write or write independently. Write Dance is a movement based approach and uses music and song lyrics appropriate to the students age to stimulate drawing and independent mark making.  
  • To aid and support mark making and handwriting, students who have difficulties with their fine motor skills access weekly ‘Clever Fingers’ inspired activities, where appropriate and when their fine motor skills have been developed enough to begin holding a pencil, they start to follow the ‘Write from the Start’ programme which helps to develop pencil control and improve the legibility of their written work. 
  •  The students are provided with opportunities to ‘mark make’ using a range of different writing tools and multi-sensory materials. For example, writing in shaving foam. Some students progress onto tracing and copy patterns, letters and words.
  • Pupils take part in weekly Write Dance sessions. Write Dance is a progressive program which ensures the fundamentals of mark making and emerging writing skills are achieved before students begin to trace, copy-write or write independently. Write Dance is a movement based approach and uses music plus rhymes and song lyrics to stimulate drawing and independent mark making.  
  • To aid and support handwriting, students who have difficulties with their fine motor skills access weekly ‘Clever Fingers’ inspired activities, once their fine motor skills have been developed enough to begin holding a pencil they start to follow the ‘Write from the Start’ programme which helps to develop pencil control and improve the legibility of their written work.
  • Some pupils are developing their functional writing skills such as, upper and lowercase letter formation, correct use of a writing tool, showing awareness of capital letters and full stops and beginning to understand the different uses of writing.
  • Students work on both transcription and composition writing skills. Through transcription objectives they are taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing, write down their ideas and  spell quickly and accurately. Composition objectives involve forming, articulating and communicating ideas, and being able to organise them coherently. Considering the purpose and styles of texts and widening vocabulary and grammar knowledge. Students also work on making their writing more fluent and legible. 
  • To aid and support handwriting, students who have difficulties with their fine motor skills access weekly ‘Clever Fingers’ inspired activities, they follow the ‘Write from the Start’ programme which helps to develop pencil control and improve the legibility of their written work. Some students, dependent on their ability, practice handwriting in a more formal way, through the use of handwriting books.
Brook

Our aim is for all students at Milestone to be happy, aspirational learners by achieving their maximum potential in writing and become confident in their own ability. All students achievements are individualised and demonstrated by: 

  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals.
  • Students are assessed termly using the Brook framework. The Brook framework offers a specialised curriculum in five Key Skill Areas: Communication, Cognitive Skills, Environmental Control Technology, Social and Emotional Well Being and Physical Skills (Gross and Fine Motor). 
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone 
  • Instilling a love for writing 
  • Preparing students for adulthood by exposing them to a variety of learning opportunities that enables a range of communication skills to be learnt and used daily. 

Our aim is for all students at Milestone to be happy, aspirational learners by achieving their maximum potential in writing and become confident in their own ability. All students achievements are individualised and demonstrated by: 

  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals.
  • Students are assessed termly using the KSENT descriptors on Pupil Asset.
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone 
  • Instilling a love for writing 
  • Preparing students for adulthood by exposing them to a variety of learning opportunities that enables a range of communication skills to be learnt and used daily. 

Our aim is for all students at Milestone to be happy, aspirational learners by achieving their maximum potential in writing and become confident in their own ability. All students achievements are individualised and demonstrated by: 

  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals. 
  • Students are assessed termly using the KSENT descriptors on Pupil Asset.
  • Students work on their individualised Provision Plan targets for physical and sensory.
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone 
  • Instilling a love for writing 
  • Preparing students for adulthood by exposing them to a variety of learning opportunities that enables a range of communication skills to be learnt and used daily.

Our aim is for all students at Milestone to be happy, aspirational learners by achieving their maximum potential in writing and become confident in their own ability. All students achievements are individualised and demonstrated by: 

  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals.
  • Students are assessed termly using the KSENT descriptors on Pupil Asset.
  • Students work on their individualised Provision Plan targets for physical and sensory.
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone 
  • Instilling a love for writing 
  • Preparing students for adulthood by exposing them to a variety of learning opportunities that enables a range of communication skills to be learnt and used daily. 

Secondary – Phases 3 & 4

Brook

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community. 
  • Encourage students to explore a range of experiences and resources to develop their fine and gross motor skills. 
  • Have access to a broad range of technology to support their learning and future beyond Milestone. 
  • Foster a love of writing by making sure writing is cross-curricular. 
  • Deliver a curriculum that is appropriately planned, so skills already taught can be built upon and address the gaps in students knowledge.

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community. 
  • Encourage students to explore a range of experiences and resources to develop their fine and gross motor skills. 
  • Have access to a broad range of technology to support their learning and future beyond Milestone. 
  • Foster a love of writing by making sure writing is cross-curricular. 
  • Deliver a curriculum that is appropriately planned, so skills already taught can be built upon and address the gaps in students knowledge.

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community. 
  • Encourage students to explore a range of experiences and resources to develop their fine and gross motor skills. 
  • Have access to a broad range of technology to support their learning and future beyond Milestone. 
  • Foster a love of writing by making sure writing is cross-curricular. 
  • Deliver a curriculum that is appropriately planned, so skills already taught can be built upon and address the gaps in students knowledge.  

At Milestone academy all students will access a broad writing curriculum no matter their background or need. Our writing curriculum transcends the national curriculum and embeds transdisciplinary themes of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is our intent to:

  • Ensure all students access a curriculum that is sequentially mapped to make clear the individual endpoints each student is building towards and what pupils and staff need to know and be able to do to reach those endpoints.
  • Expose all students to learning experiences that will equip them for their future, in the hope that they will acquire the personal qualities, attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for personal fulfilment and a developing social responsibility in a rapidly changing world, both while at Milestone and within the wider community.
Brook
  • With 1:1 adult support, students access write dance, mark making, messy play and ICT to promote writing skills. 
  • Students work on individualised physiotherapy programmes, have access to Aqualearn and Rebound, Intense Interaction and music Sessions to help develop their fine and gross motor skills.
  • Students take part in weekly Write Dance sessions. Write Dance is a progressive program which ensures the fundamentals of mark making and emerging writing skills are achieved before students begin to trace, copy-write or write independently. Write Dance is a movement based approach and uses music and song lyrics appropriate to the students age to stimulate drawing and independent mark making.  
  • To aid and support mark making and handwriting, students who have difficulties with their fine motor skills access weekly ‘Clever Fingers’ inspired activities, where appropriate and when their fine motor skills have been developed enough to begin holding a pencil, they start to follow the ‘Write from the Start’ programme which helps to develop pencil control and improve the legibility of their written work. 
  •  The students are provided with opportunities to ‘mark make’ using a range of different writing tools and multi-sensory materials. For example, writing in shaving foam. Some students progress onto tracing and copy patterns, letters and words.
  • Pupils take part in weekly Write Dance sessions. Write Dance is a progressive program which ensures the fundamentals of mark making and emerging writing skills are achieved before students begin to trace, copy-write or write independently. Write Dance is a movement based approach and uses music plus rhymes and song lyrics to stimulate drawing and independent mark making.  
  • To aid and support handwriting, students who have difficulties with their fine motor skills access weekly ‘Clever Fingers’ inspired activities, once their fine motor skills have been developed enough to begin holding a pencil they start to follow the ‘Write from the Start’ programme which helps to develop pencil control and improve the legibility of their written work. 
  • Some pupils are developing their functional writing skills such as, upper and lowercase letter formation, correct use of a writing tool, showing awareness of capital letters and full stops and beginning to understand the different uses of writing.
  • Students work on both transcription and composition writing skills. Through transcription objectives they are taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing, write down their ideas and  spell quickly and accurately. Composition objectives involve forming, articulating and communicating ideas, and being able to organise them coherently. Considering the purpose and styles of texts and widening vocabulary and grammar knowledge. Students also work on making their writing more fluent and legible. 
  • To aid and support handwriting, students who have difficulties with their fine motor skills access weekly ‘Clever Fingers’ inspired activities, they follow the ‘Write from the Start’ programme which helps to develop pencil control and improve the legibility of their written work. Some students, dependent on their ability, practice handwriting in a more formal way, through the use of handwriting books.
Brook

Our aim at Milestone through our Speaking and Listening curriculum is in order for our students to work on their cognitive development thus improving their communication skills. Enabling our students to become more confident in their own abilities when having their individual needs met. This is achieved through:

  • Cross curricular assessment of receptive language and communication skills via intentional responses.
  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals.
  • Students are assessed termly using the Brook framework. The Brook framework offers a specialised curriculum in five Key Skill Areas: Communication, Cognitive Skills, Environmental Control Technology, Social and Emotional Well Being and Physical Skills (Gross and Fine Motor).
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone.

Our aim is for all students at Milestone to be happy, aspirational learners by achieving their maximum potential in writing and become confident in their own ability. All students achievements are individualised and demonstrated by: 

  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals. 
  • Students are assessed termly using the KSENT descriptors on Pupil Asset.
  • Students work on their individualised Provision Plan targets for physical and sensory.
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone 
  • Instilling a love for writing 
  • Preparing students for adulthood by exposing them to a variety of learning opportunities that enables a range of communication skills to be learnt and used daily. 

Our aim at Milestone through our Speaking and Listening curriculum is in order for our students to work on their cognitive development thus improving their communication skills. Enabling our students to become more confident in their own abilities when having their individual needs met. This is achieved through:

  • Cross curricular assessment of receptive language and communication skills via intentional responses.
  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals.
  • Students are assessed termly using the KSENT descriptors on Pupil Asset.
  • Students work on their individualised Provision Plan targets for communication and interaction
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone

Our aim is for all students at Milestone to be happy, aspirational learners by achieving their maximum potential in writing and become confident in their own ability. All students achievements are individualised and demonstrated by: 

  • Students making progress towards their personal, individualised targets and end goals.
  • Students are assessed termly using the KSENT descriptors on Pupil Asset.
  • Students work on their individualised Provision Plan targets for physical and sensory.
  • Progress and achievement is communicated to parents and carers through Annual Reviews, Curriculum Reports, Tapestry, and Parent Consultations.
  • Promoting independence for their future beyond Milestone 
  • Instilling a love for writing 
  • Preparing students for adulthood by exposing them to a variety of learning opportunities that enables a range of communication skills to be learnt and used daily.