Across the Black Country Federation, we recognise that writing is the means through which children communicate, express themselves, and influence others. Our curriculum ensures that pupils develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to write with fluency, accuracy, and purpose.

We follow the CUSP (Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership) Writing Curriculum, a research-informed approach that is:

• Explicitly structured– Systematic progression in transcription, composition, and grammar.
• Rooted in high-quality literature– Enabling pupils to understand language, audience, and purpose.
• Built on the principle of ‘Reduce and Revisit’– Revisiting core text types across the key stages to deepen understanding.
• Focused on sentence-level mastery– Ensuring fluency before moving on to extended writing.
• Aligned with the wider curriculum– Enriching learning through meaningful connections with history, science, geography, and PSHE.

Our goal is for every child to leave our school as a confident, competent, and creative writer, ready to succeed in secondary education and beyond.

The Foundations of Writing

Writing is a complex skill that requires the development of multiple competencies. The CUSP Writing Curriculum is designed to ensure systematic progress in:

• Transcription– Fluency in handwriting, spelling, and sentence construction.
• Composition– Structuring and crafting texts for different audiences and purposes.
• Grammar and Vocabulary– Explicitly teaching knowledge to write accurately and effectively.
• Text Conventions– Understanding the features and stylistic choices of different genres.
• The Writing Process– Planning, drafting, proofreading, and editing.

By breaking writing into these key components and sequencing them deliberately, pupils learn to compose extended pieces with confidence and independence.

A Curriculum Built for Mastery: Reduce and Revisit

The CUSP Writing Curriculum is designed around fewer core text types to allow deep learning. Each text type is taught twice per year:

• Block A– The first introduction, with extensive modelling and guidance.
• Block B– The second encounter, promoting independence and creativity.

For example, instructional writing is introduced in Year 1 and revisited in Year 3 at a higher level of complexity. Balanced arguments and discursive writing begin in Year 4, preparing pupils for academic writing in secondary school. This approach avoids cognitive overload and ensures sentence-level fluency before extended writing tasks.

Writing Across the Curriculum

Writing across the federation is purposeful and integrated across subjects:

• History– Biographies, reports, and discursive pieces on historical figures and events.
• Geography– Non-chronological reports and persuasive texts linked to environmental themes.
• Science– Explanations, procedural texts, and evaluations to reinforce scientific thinking.
• Reading– High-quality model texts from the CUSP Literature Spine support authentic, rich writing.

Embedding writing across subjects helps pupils apply and refine their skills in meaningful contexts.

The Structure of a CUSP Writing Lesson

Each lesson follows a clear, research-informed sequence:

1. Connect– Activating prior knowledge.
2. Explain– Teaching vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structures explicitly.
3. Example– Modelling high-quality writing and key techniques.
4. Attempt– Guided practice with structured support.
5. Apply– Independent writing in context.
6. Challenge– Extending writing with more sophisticated techniques.

This ensures all pupils receive consistent instruction in both the mechanics and artistry of writing.

Sentence-Level Mastery

Strong writing begins with strong sentences. The curriculum places sentence-level fluency at the heart of instruction:

• Daily practice in constructing sentences.
• Explicit teaching of grammar, punctuation, and syntax in context.
• Oral rehearsal to refine ideas before writing.
• Use of model texts to internalise structure and style.

Mastery of sentence construction prepares pupils to write longer, more complex texts confidently and accurately.

The Writing Process: From Planning to Publication

To develop independent, reflective writers, we teach the full writing process:

• Planning– Identifying purpose, audience, and form.
• Drafting– Applying sentence-level skills to create coherent pieces.
• Proofreading– Checking for accuracy and clarity.
• Editing for Meaning and Impact– Refining word choice, structure, and coherence.

Structured routines for drafting and editing help pupils craft and improve their work over time.

Oracy and Writing

Speaking and writing are closely linked. Our curriculum integrates structured talk into every lesson:

• Oral Rehearsal– Pupils articulate sentences before writing.
• Performance and Debate– Opportunities to speak publicly and persuasively.
• Peer Review– Collaborative discussion and feedback to refine ideas.

This approach strengthens linguistic skills and builds confidence in expression.

Assessment and Feedback

We use multiple methods to track progress and provide meaningful feedback:

• Formative Assessment– Daily verbal and written feedback.
• ‘Ingredients for Success’ Checklists– Clear criteria for each writing unit.
• Key Indicator Assessments– Summative checks of curriculum objectives.
• Reteaching and Adaptive Practice– Targeted support to ensure all pupils master essential concepts.

This ensures that every pupil receives the guidance and challenge needed to excel.

The Impact of Our Writing Curriculum

By the time pupils leave our school, they are:

• Academically prepared– Ready for secondary school and beyond.
• Fluent, confident writers– Able to write effectively in any context.
• Articulate communicators– Expressing ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Creative and independent thinkers– Using writing for self-expression and exploration.

Further Information

For more details, including CUSP Knowledge Documents, curriculum overviews, and home writing guidance, please contact our Curriculum Lead, Tom Amphlett, at info@brierley.dudley.sch.uk.