English has an important part to play in both education and society. A high-quality English curriculum will teach children to speak, read and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others, and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. All the skills of English are essential to participating fully as a member of a school and society.

Writing provides children with a vehicle to express who they are as people and to actively engage in daily life. Writing makes children’s thinking and learning visible and permanent. It provides children with opportunities to explain and refine their ideas to others and themselves. The purpose and use of writing is wide and varied and each one has value in its own right:

• To express a person’s views or feelings
• To reflect on experiences and learn from them
• As an expression of creativity
• To inspire others
• To make a community contribution
• To foster connections
• To make others happy
• For academic and career success
• To leave a legacy