Ages 7-11 (KS2)

English
(Reading, Writing and SPAG – Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar)

We approach writing not as an isolated skill, but as an interconnected ecosystem. A successful tutoring strategy bridges the gap between mechanical accuracy and creative expression by weaving together Reading, SPaG (Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar), and Writing Composition.

Reading as the Foundation

Before a child can write a high-quality text, they must learn to analyse one. We use reading to dissect the mechanics of storytelling and non-fiction.

• Using High-Quality Model Texts: We introduce excerpts from celebrated children’s literature or excellent non-fiction examples. Rather than just reading for plot, they guide the student to look at how the author built suspense, structured a paragraph, or selected vocabulary.
• Genre Deconstruction:We explicitly teach children to recognise the conventions of different formats (e.g., the persuasive language of a speech, the chronological markers in a biography, or the sensory imagery in a narrative).
• Vocabulary Expansion: Reading exposes students to ambitious vocabulary. Tutors encourage “magpie-ing”—the practice of collecting interesting words, phrases, or idioms from their reading to intentionally store in a word bank for their own writing.

SPaG: Building the Toolkit

SPaG is taught through a mix of short, discrete focus sessions and contextualised practice so that children understand why these rules matter.

• Contextualised Grammar: Instead of using repetitive worksheets, we link grammar directly to the writing goal. For example, if the student is writing a mystery story, the tutor will explicitly teach fronted adverbials of time and place (“Deep in the shadows of the forest,…”) to show how grammar creates tension.
• Punctuation Mastery: We guide pupils through the progressive KS2 punctuation requirements. This shifts from basics like speech marks (inverted commas) in Year 3/4 to advanced structural tools like brackets, dashes, and semi-colons in Year 5/6.
• Spelling and Morphology: We break down spelling by teaching prefixes, suffixes, root words, and statutory KS2 spelling lists. We use visual strategies like “Look, Cover, Write, Check” or investigate spelling patterns rather than relying on rote memorisation.

The Writing Process

We break writing down into smaller, scaffolded steps to prevent the student from experiencing cognitive overload.

• Talk for Writing: We ask children to verbally articulate their sentences before writing them down. If a child can say a complex sentence accurately, they are much more likely to write it correctly.
• Shared Modeling: We will co-write sentences with the student, explicitly thinking out loud.
• Structured Planning: We teach students how to map out their ideas using story mountains, boxing-up diagrams, or bullet-pointed segmentations for non-fiction paragraphs.
• Writing for Purpose and Audience: Every writing task is given a clear objective. Tutors prompt students by asking: Who are you writing this for? and What reaction do you want from your reader?
• The Power of Redrafting: We guide pupils through proofreading for “secret” SPaG errors (like missing commas or tense slips) and editing for impact (up-leveling vocabulary or restructuring sentences for a better flow).