National Improving Writing Programme
Probationer Input
January 2025
12:00 – 13:00
ACC Improving Writing Team
Linsey Hay
QIO & Writing Lead
ACC
Diane Rough
Depute Head & Writing
Lead ACC
Why QI?
What is QI?
Anatomy of a
Good Aim
Improving Writing Journey
Writing Change Bundle
Understanding your System
Pareto
Data Collection
Plan for Today
National Percentage of pupils achieving expected CfE Levels in Writing�2016/17 to 2020/21 �(no data collected in 19/20)�
ACC Percentage of pupils achieving expected CfE Levels in Writing�2016/17 to 2022/23�(no data collected in 19/20)�
Quality Improvement Journey�
Quality Improvement is defined as the application of a systematic approach that uses specific techniques to improve quality.
Health Foundation 2014
To Improve It - We Must See The System As A Whole
Travel time from work to home�
Variation
Travel time from work to home�
Building Knowledge�
Building will and conditions for change
Understand current system
Develop aim and change theory
Identify specific change ideas, test and refine using PDSA
Implement and sustain changes
Share learning and spread, where relevant
Measurement, project management and understanding people
Quality Improvement Journey�
How many children are not attaining expected levels?
Who?
Why?
What is Your CfE Data Telling You?
Transcription
Executive Function
Text Generation
Transcription
(Handwriting/typing, spelling and punctuation)
CfE Tools for Writing
Purpose and Motivation
Ensure pupils understand purpose and audience for the writing.
CfE Enjoyment and Choice
Text generation
(Word, Sentence, Text level generation)
CfE Creating Texts
Executive function
(Working Memory, Supervisory attention, goal setting, planning, reviewing, revising.
Strategies for self-monitoring and regulation.)
CfE Organising and Using Information
Purpose and
motivation to write
Based on ‘The Simple View of Writing’ developed by Beringer et al. (2002).
Building will and conditions for change
Understand current system
Develop aim and change theory
Identify specific change ideas, test and refine using PDSA
Implement and sustain changes
Share learning and spread, where relevant
Measurement, project management and understanding people
Quality Improvement Journey�
Process Mapping
Pareto Chart
Fishbone
Force Field Analysis
Driver Diagram
QI Tools – Understanding your System�
Pareto Principle
Building will and conditions for change
Understand current system
Develop aim and change theory
Identify specific change ideas, test and refine using PDSA
Implement and sustain changes
Share learning and spread, where relevant
Measurement, project management and understanding people
Quality Improvement Journey�
A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish
What’s the problem?
How do you know?
How big is the gap?
Who will be affected?
Strategic fit?
Realistic timescale -why?
Expected impact?
First, define your rationale & scope�
5 person meeting = 5 understandings
Why am I at this meeting? I thought it was to do with behaviour?
We are trying to improve literacy.
I think we are trying to improve reading.
By December 2024,
95% of P5 pupils will have achieved first level CfE writing outcomes.
5 person meeting = 1 shared vision
Define target group - Who?
Identified focus - What?
Measurable - How much?
Time specific - By when?
Setting Aims�
By 21st June 2025,
85% of pupils (P4A)
will have achieved first level writing outcomes
(baseline Sept 2024: 25%)
By when?
What?
Who?
By how much?
Why this time frame?
Why this amount?
Why this area?
Why this population?
Anatomy of a good aim�
What are we trying to accomplish?�
To introduce a 6-week programme to improve communication, language and vocabulary
Refine our aim...
Initial Aim�
What are we trying to accomplish?�
To introduce a 6-week programme to improve communication, language and vocabulary
Improvement Aim�
60% of children in primary 7 are using 3 or more tier 2 words in a piece of imaginative writing by June 2025
Stretch Aim
By June 2025 85% of P4 Pupils will have achieved CfE first level writing
Stretch Aim
By June 2025 85% of P4 Pupils will have achieved CfE first level writing
(Baseline: 45%)
Stretch Aim
By April 2025 95% of P5 Pupils will have achieved CfE first level writing
(Baseline: 54%)
Stretch Aim
By June 2025
85% of P4 Pupils
&
By April 2025
95% of P5 Pupils
will have achieved CfE first level writing
(Baseline P4: 45%
Baseline P5: 54%)
Define target group - Who?
Identified focus - What?
Measurable - How much?
Time specific - By when?
Setting Aims�
Teaching Aim
By 12th March
85% of P4 children will achieve at least X correctly punctuated* sentences in their writing
(Baseline 24%)
Operational Definitions
Teaching Aim
By 12th March
85% of P4 children will achieve at least X correctly punctuated* sentences in their writing
(Baseline 24%)
* Correctly punctuated: full stops, capital letters, question marks, exclamation marks.
Teaching Aim
By 26th February
88% of P5 children will be able to link sentences using conjunctions*
(Baseline: 40%)
* Conjunctions: and, because, but, so
Define target group - Who?
Identified focus - What?
Measurable - How much?
Time specific - By when?
Setting Aims�
Building will and conditions for change
Understand current system
Develop aim and change theory
Identify specific change ideas, test and refine using PDSA
Implement and sustain changes
Share learning and spread, where relevant
Measurement, project management and understanding people
Quality Improvement Journey�
Assessment
Pupil Participation
Improving Writing Outcomes
Clear & Visible Learning Intentions
Clear & Visible Success Criteria
Differentiation – ASN supported
Focus on aspect of improvement until it is achieved consistently over time
Measurement aligned to aim
Displaying regular data over time
Assessment & Feedback against Success Criteria
Pupils setting individual targets
Pupils analysing data
Children writing (15-20 mins with 5 min edit time)
3-5 times per week
PRIMARY DRIVERS
SECONDARY DRIVERS
AIM
Teacher modelling good examples
Pupils involved in assessing writing
By Jan 2021 at least
70% of P5 children in Wave 1 schools will have successfully achieved CfE first level outcomes in writing.
By June 2021 at least
70% of P4 children in Wave 1 schools will have successfully achieved the CfE level relevant to their stage in literacy writing.
High Quality Learning & Teaching
Using QI Tools to understand system
Collecting and analysing improvement data to inform practice
Quality Improvement Methodology
Explicit Improvement Aim(s) & Measurement Plan
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
Write for 15 mins, 5 mins to self check
Teacher input aligned to aim
(stimulus, dialogue, model)
Share LI and make SC explicit
Assess and feedback against SC
Involve children in the process!
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
�You only learn as often as you measure!�
Measure weekly=Learn weekly
Measure daily = Learn daily
�
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
Write for 15 mins, 5 mins to self check
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
Write for 15 mins, 5 mins to self check
Teacher input aligned to aim
(stimulus, dialogue, model)
Stage 1: Getting Ready to Write
Stage 2: Time for Writing
Stage 3: Feedback
Stage 4: Improvement and Celebrating Success
The Writing Process�
Stimulus
Dialogue
Model
Teacher Input Aligned to Aim�
Stimulus for writing could take the form of …�
An experience
A written text
Films or images or props/ objects
Drama and play
The desire to share something
Children's own ideas and interests
A creative hook e.g. email/letter, footprints, message in bottle
Children’s drawings
Competitions
�Clements J & Tobin M(2021) Understanding and Teaching Primary English
Writing provocation –e.g. letter to the class
Written texts-e.g. picture books/ class novel/ familiar text/ poem
Children's drawings
Some Practical Ideas…�
Opportunities for oral rehearsal
Use of sentence stems to scaffold
Dialogue�
Teacher modelling
‘think out loud’ approaches where they verbalise their thinking
Shared modelling
Teacher led, interactive modelling where children are contributing ideas
Modelling of examples and non-examples
Sharing excellent examples and flawed examples by way of comparison
Modelling Approaches�
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
Write for 15 mins, 5 mins to self check
Teacher input aligned to aim
(stimulus, dialogue, model)
Share LI and make SC explicit
Learning Intention
�
Success Criteria
Learning Intention
To use interesting vocabulary
�
Success Criteria
Use X or more of these words in your writing….
For example:
lonely
fearless
fierce
Learning Intention
Use conjunctions to join sentences together�
Success Criteria
At least X sentences will include….
and
because
so
but
Learning Intention
Use correct punctuation
�
Success Criteria
At least X sentences
Capital letter at beginning
. ? ! at end
Breath
Learning Intention
How do I correctly punctuate my sentences?�
Success Criteria
Answer the question
Operational Definition Tools for Writing Benchmarks - Punctuation�
Early
Leaves a space between words
Writes words from left to right
Makes an attempt to use a capital letter and a full stop
First
Writes independently, punctuating most sentences accurately, for example, using a capital letter, full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
Second
Uses a range of punctuation, for example, capital letters, full stops, commas (speech marks), exclamation marks, question marks and/or apostrophes
Punctuation is mainly accurate
Learning Intention
Write at least X sentences with correct punctuation
Success Criteria (differentiated)
(All)
Leaves a space between words when writing
Capital letter at beginning
Full stop at the end
(Most)
+ commas in lists, question marks, exclamation marks
(Some )
+ commas, inverted commas (speech marks), apostrophes.
Share LI and make SC explicit�
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
Write for 15 mins, 5 mins to self check
Teacher input aligned to aim
(stimulus, dialogue, model)
Share LI and make SC explicit
Assess and feedback against SC
First Column Pupils Names
Feedback��When, Where and How?
Feedback should take place as soon as possible after writing in the company of the writer
Provide learners with opportunities to discuss their writing
Share examples of best practice to praise and support
Highlight strengths along with next steps
Link to success criteria
Opportunity to be self, peer and teacher-led
Doing corrections
Peer supporting to achieve
Teacher 1-1 / support to make sure it’s achieved
Acting on Feedback�
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
Write for 15 mins, 5 mins to self check
Teacher input aligned to aim
(stimulus, dialogue, model)
Share LI and make SC explicit
Assess and feedback against SC
Involve children in the process!
Tell me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn.
Benjamin Franklin
Writing�Change Bundle
Children writing 3-5 times per week
Write for 15 mins, 5 mins to self check
Teacher input aligned to aim
(stimulus, dialogue, model)
Share LI and make SC explicit
Assess and feedback against SC
Involve children in the process!
SHIFT
Writing Bundle Implemented
Qualitative Feedback
Post it note example
What questions do you have?
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Thank you
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