Handwriting at Heage Primary School

Handwriting is the explicit teaching of letter formation and joins. Effective handwriting impacts the wider curriculum and the development of the whole child. We want all of our children to take pride in their presentation. We follow a Handwriting Scheme, which is taught and reinforced throughout the curriculum.

Our Handwriting Programme is based on:

‘Improvement in School through Handwriting and Art Scheme’ (ISHA)’ by Martin Harvey and Debbie Watson

All handwriting lessons are live modelled by an adult using language, interaction and clear structure to provide the knowledge and understanding of how to handwrite effectively. The handwriting style used by Heage Primary School is based on a semi-cursive style.  It is simplistic but very clear and it does not have the ‘loops’ or ‘lead-ins’ which are features of more complex handwriting styles.

We discuss with the children the following ‘good habits’ for handwriting:

BBC- Bottom at the back of the chair.

TNT- Tummy near to the table.

Legs Set- e.g. 4 chair legs and 2 feet touching the floor.

Pencil grip- We advocate a ‘tripod’ grip and suggest that left-handed children leave roughly 2cm at the end of the pencil and right-handed children leave 1cm at the end of the pencil.

Hands set- 1 hand steadying the paper, 1 hand holding the pencil.

Posture check- Back straight and head up.