Early Years SHowcase

I am so proud of Katherine Semar Infant School, who were selected by the RISE East of England Teaching Exchange team to share their EYFS practice with schools across our region. This recognition reflects the strength of practice within Katherine Semar and across the Saffron Academy Trust, and the thoughtful, research-informed approach taken to support children’s holistic development.

 

Leaning into the research and analysis, they chose to showcase their approach to developing early writing.

 

Leaders demonstrated their clear focus on transcription, underpinned by strong foundations and carefully designed provision:

 

🌟Fine and gross motor development, including core strength, to prepare children physically for writing

🌟A purposeful enabling environment that supports both explicit teaching and incidental learning

🌟First-hand experiences that stimulate language and ideas for writing

🌟Clear systems, routines and processes that make writing development deliberate and consistent

🌟Pre-planned sentences linked to phonics knowledge, enabling children to experience success

🌟A strong focus on oracy, giving children time to rehearse and “hold” sentences before writing

🌟Modelling and metacognition to support children’s understanding of the writing process

🌟Adapted provision, enabling independence for some while targeting support for others

 

A powerful example of how careful design, high expectations and expert teaching combine to give every child the best possible start.