fbpx
Select Page
Assessing Children’s Writing and Raising the BAR

How best to assess a child’s writing level has long been a source of debate. The 2014 National Curriculum for primary level English splits writing into three main categories:

  • Transcription (spelling and handwriting)
  • Composition (ideas and structure)
  • Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

Within these three sections, the government then gives more detailed guidance for the year groups or key stages. When children reach Year 6, teachers then follow the Teacher Assessment Framework and assess each child according to one of three grades or standards:

  • WTS (Working Towards)
  • EXP (Expected Standard)
  • GDS (Greater Depth)

Many schools use these standards at the end of each academic year, using their own (or purchased) criteria which have been influenced by the National Curriculum guidance for each year group.

How we assess writing using our ‘Raising the BAR’ standards.

At Bright Light Education, we believe writing should be an enjoyable process. However, for many children, mastering spelling, handwriting, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation as well as forming ideas and structuring their piece of work properly, is no easy task. This is particularly the case for children with special educational needs or disabilities, such as dyslexia. We believe that being judged on all these criteria at once can cause a child to lack confidence in writing and take the pleasure of writing away from them.

This is why we have developed our own ‘Raising the BAR’ standards for writing. Whilst our levelling process has been influenced by the National Curriculum and TA Framework for Writing, we have removed the ‘Transcription’ element (as this can be assessed separately), and created a process which should motivate rather than discourage children. Additionally, we have added new criteria; criteria which encourage children to enjoy writing through storytelling. For example: can I use personification to describe the atmosphere; can I use Show Don’t Tell for developing the emotions of my characters; can I use hyperbole to develop humour or exaggeration in my writing?

We wholeheartedly believe that children should be taught the art of writing through storytelling and creative writing. Children should feel excited to write, to let their imaginations run wild and,at the same time, be taught a range of wonderful writing skills to make their writing captivating for their audience. Our ‘Raising the BAR’ standards assess children on what we feel are the important criteria for writing. Our criteria are separated into three categories:

  • Language
  • Skills
  • Structure

Each criteria has 7 strands, covering vocabulary, writing techniques, grammar, punctuation, composition and ideas). At the end, children are awarded one of three levels:

  • B = Budding (E.g. Budding Year 2)
  • A = Aspiring (E.g. Aspiring Year 2)
  • R = Rising (E.g. Rising Year 2)

We hope that these positively worded levels, together with more attainable and inspiring criteria, will successfully ignite children’s passion for writing.

11+ Interview Practice Book

Other Blogposts

Adaptive Tests and How to Prepare for Them

Adaptive Tests and How to Prepare for Them

Adaptive tests have become increasingly popular, particularly for 11+ independent school examinations where they have the facilities for each child to have their own device and take their own test online.  They are not currently used by any grammar schools in their...

Igniting Writing: Why it Matters in 2025

Igniting Writing: Why it Matters in 2025

In July 2023, the National Literacy Trust published a report entitled, Children and Young People’s Writing in 2023. The report summarises the findings from their 2023 Annual Literacy Survey, which was completed by 71,351 children and young people aged 5-18 in schools...

What books should my child be reading in 2025?

What books should my child be reading in 2025?

Are you stuck for reading book ideas for your child?Here are some ideas to get you going!   Reception: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin JnrWhere’s Spot? by Eric HillThe Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric CarleClifford the Big Red Dog by Norman...