Effective handwriting

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Handwriting in the 2014 National Curriculum

‘Writing also depends on fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting.’

Year 1

Pupils should be taught to:
 sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
 begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
 form capital letters
 form digits 0-9
 understand which letters belong to which handwriting ‘families’ (i.e. letters that are formed in similar ways) and to practise these.

Year 2

Pupils should be taught to:
 form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another
 start using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined
 write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters
 use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters.

Years 3 and 4

Pupils should be taught to:
 use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined
 increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting [for example, by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch].

Years 5 and 6

Pupils should be taught to:
 write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by:
 choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters
 choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task.