1. The Big Write – Tupton Hall School

2. Whole School Literacy Focus – Why?
Good literacy is the ability to read, write, design, speak, listen and communicate effectively.
Students require good literacy to succeed in all coursework and examinations across the school by being able to write clearly in a range of contexts such as:
Recounting
Instructing
Reporting
Explaining
Persuading / Arguing
Discussing

3. Whole School Literacy Focus – Why?
To support the development of literacy and students’ ability to write long pieces of text for any subject in any context
Many students only apply lengthy text answers to English, Humanities, MFL.
Working students towards writing extended answers that are in depth, concise and detailed can be a challenge, both for the student and the teacher.
Most subjects at key stage 4 and 5 require a written examination to be completed, with all papers now gaining many marks from the extended questions with high marks.
Coursework requires students to complete extended pieces of writing.
Coursework has marks awarded for SPaG
Literacy a barrier to exam success right the way up to A Level

4. Non-Fiction Text Types – Pupils complete ‘Big Write’ in primary school
Chronological, re-telling of events
Past tense
Time connectives e.g. meanwhile; next
Proper nouns for people and places
Third or first person
Sequential, logical explanation of how/why
Technical language / terminology
‘Reason’ connectives e.g. because; therefore; so; consequently; This results
Formal, third person
Clear opening view Opinionated
Emotive, powerful words
Questions
‘Reason’ connectives e.g. As you know; because
Sequential; step-by-step
Title and bullet point or number list
Imperative verbs e.g. put; place
Present tense
Time connectives e.g. next, then
Adverbs e.g. slowly; carefully; gradually .
Non-chronological
Organised in categories
Formal, factual description of characteristics
Third person
Present tense
Reasoned argument
Present tense
Third person
‘Reason’ connectives e.g. because; therefore, so
Comparison e.g. however

5. What?
Whole school – 2 Big Writes per year in Y7 and 8 in all subjects – work sampled, written into schemes of work in all faculties
MFL – 90 word GCSE-style writing assessments – see examples from Y7
Students plan and prepare their answers with varying levels of differentiation and support – but complete under assessed conditions

6. To make Good or Exceptional progress, you will need to include a variety of …
Connectives (e.g. and, but, because)
Positive and negative adjectives
Qualifiers before your adjectives
Year 7 German Big Write 1
Du schreibst an deinen deutschen Freund oder deine deutsche Freundin über dich.
Schreib:
etwas über dich
etwas über wo du wohnst
etwas über ein Familienmitglied
etwas über deine Sachen
Du musst ungefähr 90 Wörter auf Deutsch schreiben. Schreib etwas über alle Punkte der Aufgabe.

7. Benefits in MFL Drop-down GCSE skills from Y7
Breaking down of 90 word task (20-25 words per bullet point)
Emphasis on addressing all bullet points and including opinions with reasons
KS3 writing assessments in line with KS4
Future Plans ahead of Big Write = ‘A Cold Write’
No preparation or prior warning – post-topic writing in lesson (not assessed)
Peer assessment and open book improvements to form basis of planning for actual Big Write Assessments

8. Marking Code ̂ WWW EBI Sp
You have spelled the word incorrectly. Look up the correct spelling in a dictionary, and correct – then write out 3 times T
You have used the wrong tense VA
Your verb ending is inaccurate WO
Your word order is inaccurate ⃝
Capital letter – is either missing, or is a capital when it does not need to be ̂
Missing word
Double underlined
You have written in English – use a dictionary to translate into German G
The gender of your noun is inaccurate