Writing - Composition

The BFG provides an ideal model for Y3 adventure narrative because its portal-fantasy structure (child enters a strange world) is a clear, replicable pattern. Dahl's distinctive voice and inventive vocabulary inspire children's own language choices. The text naturally demands direct speech punctuation (the conversations between Sophie and the BFG) making grammar teaching contextual rather than decontextualised.

Shape poems and calligrams make the connection between form and meaning visible and concrete. At Y3, this is an accessible way to teach that poetic form is a deliberate choice that shapes how the reader experiences the poem. Similes are introduced as the first explicit figurative language device because 'like' and 'as' provide clear signals that make the device identifiable.

Non-chronological reports are the gateway to academic writing. At Y3, the focus is on organising information under subheadings and using topic sentences — skills that transfer to every subject. Cross-curricular links (Science rocks, Geography rivers) provide authentic content so that the English lesson teaches the writing form while another subject provides the knowledge.

Myths from diverse cultures introduce Y3 to the wider world of traditional storytelling beyond European fairy tales. The common structures across cultures (hero's journey, origin explanations, moral teachings) develop pupils' ability to identify themes and conventions. The retelling task teaches narrative composition within a scaffolded framework — pupils know the story and can focus on language and style.

Teach planning through exposure to model texts — children read and analyse high-quality examples of the text type they are going to write before planning their own. Use boxing-up (a grid showing the structure of the model text) to help children internalise the text's structure. Teach children to plan the purpose, audience, key content and structural organisation of their writing before they begin drafting. Model planning through shared writing, thinking aloud about the decisions being made.

Children may treat planning as copying out sections of the model text rather than using it as a structural template. They may spend too long on detailed plans that effectively become a first draft. Some children plan but then deviate significantly from their plan during writing, suggesting the planning was not purposeful.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach strategies for generating and recording ideas before writing. Use mind maps, brainstorms, lists, sketches and note-taking as pre-writing tools. Encourage children to draw on their reading, personal experience, research and imagination. Model the process of idea generation during shared writing: 'I could write about... or I could... What ideas do I have for the middle section?' Teach children that not all ideas generated will make it into the final piece — selecting and organising ideas is part of the writing process.

Children may feel they need a perfect idea before they can start, leading to 'writer's block'. They may record too many ideas and try to include all of them, resulting in unfocused writing. Some children skip the idea-generation stage entirely, writing the first thing that comes to mind.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach oral rehearsal of sentences as a bridge between planning and writing. Before writing each sentence, children should say it aloud (to a partner or quietly to themselves), listening for grammatical sense, vocabulary choices and the flow of the sentence. In Year 3, extend from KS1 by rehearsing multi-clause sentences: 'When the storm began, the ship rocked violently.' Model oral rehearsal in shared writing, demonstrating how the same idea can be expressed in different ways and choosing the most effective version.

Children may rehearse a simple sentence but write a more complex one, or vice versa, because they lose track during the physical act of writing. They may rehearse silently rather than aloud, which reduces the effectiveness of the strategy. Some children see oral rehearsal as unnecessary and skip it, particularly when they are confident writers.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach paragraphing as a way to group related material in both narrative and non-fiction writing. In narrative, teach that a new paragraph signals a change in time, place, topic or speaker. In non-fiction, teach that each paragraph deals with one main point. Model paragraph breaks during shared writing, explicitly explaining why a new paragraph is needed. Provide texts for children to divide into paragraphs and discuss where the breaks should fall and why.

Children may write entire texts as a single paragraph, not seeing the need for breaks. They may break paragraphs at arbitrary points (e.g., when they reach the edge of the page) rather than for organisational reasons. Some children understand the concept of paragraphs in non-fiction but struggle to apply it in narrative writing.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach the three key elements of narrative: setting (where and when the story takes place), character (who the story is about), and plot (what happens — including a problem or conflict and its resolution). Use quality texts as models, identifying how authors establish setting through sensory description, develop characters through dialogue and action, and structure plot with tension and resolution. In Year 3, focus on creating detailed settings and developing characters beyond simple descriptions.

Children may rush past setting and character development to focus on action and events. They may describe characters only by physical appearance rather than personality, feelings and motivation. Some children create elaborate settings and characters but have weak or non-existent plot structures.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach children to use organisational devices in non-narrative writing: headings, subheadings, bullet points, numbered lists, text boxes, and diagrams. Show how these features help the reader navigate and understand information texts. Study model texts (information leaflets, non-fiction books, web pages) to identify how organisational devices are used. In shared writing, model deciding which organisational features are appropriate for the purpose and audience. Ensure children use these devices in their own non-fiction writing.

Children may add headings and subheadings as decorations after writing rather than using them to plan and organise content. They may use bullet points where continuous prose would be more appropriate, or vice versa. Some children create visually appealing layouts without ensuring the content underneath is well written.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Develop peer evaluation skills by teaching children to give specific, constructive feedback. Provide evaluation frameworks: 'Two stars and a wish' (two things done well and one area for improvement), or success criteria checklists. Model giving feedback that is specific ('I liked the way you used the word shimmering to describe the water') rather than vague ('That was good'). Teach children to evaluate their own writing against the same criteria. Ensure that evaluation leads to action — children should use feedback to improve their work.

Children may focus evaluation on surface features (handwriting, length) rather than quality of content, structure and language. They may be reluctant to offer constructive criticism to peers, saying everything is 'good'. Some children can identify weaknesses in others' writing but not in their own.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach editing as a distinct stage in the writing process where children improve their work by changing vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure for greater clarity and effect. Model editing during shared writing: read the draft aloud, identify a sentence that could be improved, and demonstrate how to revise it. Teach children to check for consistency of tense, pronoun reference and vocabulary register. Provide editing checklists tailored to the specific text type. Ensure children understand that editing improves content, while proof-reading corrects errors.

Children often conflate editing with proof-reading, focusing on correcting spelling and punctuation errors rather than improving the quality of writing. They may resist changing their work because they see the first draft as the finished product. Some children make edits that introduce new errors because they do not reread the revised version.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Teach proof-reading as the final stage of the writing process — checking for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. Model proof-reading techniques: reading aloud slowly, pointing to each word, using a ruler to read line by line, reading backwards to check spelling. Provide a proof-reading checklist: capital letters at sentence starts, full stops at sentence ends, correct use of apostrophes, spelling of exception words. Teach children to use a coloured pen for corrections so they can see what they have changed.

Children may skim-read their work and declare it error-free without careful checking. They may correct some errors but miss others because they read what they intended rather than what they wrote. Some children proof-read for one type of error at a time (which is actually good practice) but do not complete enough passes to catch all types.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.

Provide regular opportunities for children to read their own writing aloud to different audiences — partners, small groups and the whole class. Teach children to use appropriate intonation, volume and pace that reflect the meaning and mood of their writing. Use peer response: after a child reads aloud, their partner identifies something specific they enjoyed. Connect reading aloud to the editing process — hearing their own writing often helps children identify where improvements are needed.

Children may read their own writing in a flat monotone because they are focused on decoding their own handwriting. They may read too fast, particularly when nervous about performing in front of peers. Some children change their writing as they read aloud (ad-libbing improvements) rather than reading what is actually written on the page.

Composition concept — writing process benefits from adult modelling and feedback using structured materials.