National Curriculum Assessment Grid
English: Writing
Year 6 – Expected = 34 points
Name/Group:
Class:
Writing composition, structure and effect
Can plan
writing by:
Identifying
the
audience for
and purpose
of the writing
Selecting the
appropriate
form
Noting and
developing
initial ideas
Considering
how other
authors have
developed
characters
and setting
when writing
narratives
Can draft and write by:
Can evaluate and edit by:
Purpose of writing is clear and generally
maintained with some effective selection and
placing of content to inform / engage the
reader
Assessing the effectiveness
of others and own writing
Confident, imaginative treatment of subject /
material, though not always successful.
Writing generally adapted appropriately to
different forms, purposes and audience, e.g. a
persuasive speech that shocks the listener; a
narrative that focuses on the perpetrator’s
perspective; a magazine column that is used
to comment on moral / social issues.
Describing settings and characters in narrative
through elaboration, nominalisation, and
imaginative detail, e.g. expansion of key
events and detailed characterisation.
Some evidence of controlled use of
elaboration, nominalisation and imaginative
detail, e.g. influence of early childhood on
character’s later actions.
Established and controlled viewpoint with
some development of opinion, attitude,
position or stance.
Describing atmosphere in narrative
Integrating dialogue to convey character and
advance the action in narrative
Summarising longer passages
Writing Year 6
Proposing changes to
vocabulary, grammar and
punctuation to enhance
effects and clarify meaning
including the using a
thesaurus
Drafts include deliberate
choices of grammar and
vocabulary to change and
enhance meaning for the
intended effect
Ensuring the consistent and
correct use of tense
throughout a piece of
writing
Year Group:
Spelling and
Handwriting
Spelling: Refer to NC
Appendix 1
Can accurately spell
prefixes and suffixes as
listed in Appendix 1 Yrs 5
and 6
Can accurately spell
homophones and other
words which are often
confused
Can spell most words with
silent letters
Use of the hyphen
Can use dictionaries to
check the spelling and
meaning of words
Can use a dictionary
Ensuring correct
subject and verb
agreement when using
singular and plural,
Distinguishing between the
language of speech and
writing (formal and
informal)choosing the
appropriate register
Proof-reading for spelling
and punctuation errors
Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation
Grammar: Refer to NC Appendix 2
Can recognise vocabulary and structures that are
appropriate for formal speech and writing, and informal e.g.
find out – discover; ask for – request; go in – enter] including
subjunctive forms e.g. such as If I were or Were they to come
in some very formal writing and speech
Can use a variety of sentence lengths, structures and
subjects to help expand ideas, convey key issues/facts or
provide emphasis, detail and description.
Uses different sentence types, e.g. questions, direct /
reported speech, commands (Turn upside down) used
appropriately.
Assured use of sentences containing more than one
subordinate clause to elaborate and to specify relationships
between ideas
Can use passive verbs to affect the presentation of
information in a sentence e.g. I broke the window in the
greenhouse becomes The window in the greenhouse was
broken (by me).
Can use a thesaurus
Can spell the majority of the
words on the Year 5 and 6
wordlist
Accurate spelling, with only
occasional errors in more
ambitious vocabulary
Handwriting
Can write legibly, fluently
and with increasing speed
Can use the passive voice deliberately to affect the
presentation of information in both formal and informal
situations
Can use the perfect form of verbs to mark relationships of
time and cause (Past Perfect – I had seen it, Present Perfect –
I have seen it, Future Perfect – I will have seen it)
A range of verb forms develops meaning, and appropriate
tense choice is maintained (it will probably leave of its own
accord...we could catch a later train, but will we arrive on
time?).
Punctuation
Almost always:
Vocabulary
Use of the colon
to introduce a list
Use of semicolons within lists
Use of the semicolon, colon and
dash to mark the
boundary
between
independent
clauses [for
example, It’s
raining; I’m fed
up]
Punctuation of
bullet points to list
information
Can
choose
vocabulary
for effect
e.g.
alliteration,
metaphors,
puns,
emotive
phrases.
Can use
reasonably
wide range
of
vocabulary
though not
always
appropriate
ly
A range of
stylistic
features
contribute
to the
effect of
the text,
e.g.
rhetorical
questions;
repetition
for effect;
figurative
language.
Can use commas
to clarify
meaning or
avoid ambiguity
in writing
Can use hyphens
to avoid
ambiguity for
example, man
eating shark
versus maneating shark, or
1
Using paragraphs to develop and extend
some ideas, descriptions, themes or events in
depth
Relationships between paragraphs or sections
give structure to the whole text, e.g. links
make structure between topics clear;
connections between opening and ending
repetition of a word or phrase, grammatical
connections [for example, the use of
adverbials such as on the other hand, in
contrast, or as a consequence], and ellipsis
Some shaping of paragraphs may be evident
to highlight or prioritise information, provide
chronological links, build tension or interject
comment or reflection.
Overall organisation of the text is controlled to
take account of the reader’s possible reaction
/ questions / opinion, e.g. use of flashback in
narrative; placing of information according to
importance; balancing perspectives or points
of view; sequencing of events or ideas.
Some paragraphs and / or sections are
shaped and developed to support meaning
and purpose, e.g. priority subjects / events /
ideas developed in greater detail and depth.
A range of cohesive devices are used to
develop or elaborate ideas both within and
between paragraphs, e.g. pronouns;
adverbials; connectives; subject specific
vocabulary; phrases or chains of reference
(However, it should be stated...Biological
changes...Despite their heroic efforts...)
A range of cohesive devices contribute to the
effect of the text on the reader and the
placing of emphasis for impact, e.g. precise
adverbials as sentence starters; a range of
appropriate connectives; subject specific
vocabulary; select use of pronoun referencing;
complex noun phrases; prepositional phrases.
Using headings, bullet points and underlining
to structure text and guide the reader
Can perform own
composition by:
Using appropriate
intonation, volume and
movement so meaning is
clear
Can choose which shape of
a letter to use and decide
whether or not to join
specific letters
Can choose the writing
implement that is best
suited for a task.
Use of verb forms are mostly controlled and selected to convey
precision of meaning (It would be helpful if you could let me know,
as this will enable me to take further action).
Can use expanded noun phrases to convey complicated
information concisely
Can use some features of sentence structure to build up detail or
convey shades of meaning, e.g. variation in word order,
expansions in verb phrases; adverbs (extremely)
Uses modifiers to qualify, intensify or emphasise (exceptional
result, insignificant amount).
Can use modal verbs (could, should, would, might) or
adverbs (certainly, definitely, maybe, possibly
clearly, obviously, perhaps, probably) to indicate degrees of
possibility
Can use relative clauses beginning with who, which, where,
when, whose, that or with an implied (i.e. omitted) relative
pronoun
Is familiar with the following terminology: subject, object
active, passive synonym, antonym ellipsis, hyphen, colon,
semi-colon, bullet points
recover versus
re-cover
Can use
brackets, dashes
or commas to
indicate
parenthesis
Can use colons to
introduce a list
Can use semicolons to
separate items
within a list
Can use semi
colons or dashes
to mark
boundaries
between
independent
clauses
Can punctuate
bullet points
consistently
Assessment Key- The framework works on a ‘best fit’ model
National Curriculum Assessment Grid
Writing
To achieve ‘Emerging’ within the year group approximately 15%+ of the statements must be highlighted.
Year 6 – Expected = 34 points
To achieve ‘Developing’ within the year group approximately 40%+ of the statements must be highlighted.
To achieve ‘Expected’ within the year group approximately 75%+ (or all bolded statements) of the statements must be highlighted.
To achieve ‘Exceeding’ within the year group approximately 85%+ of the statements must be highlighted.
To achieve ‘High’ within the year group approximately 95%+ of the statements must be highlighted.
(Bold statements relate to National Standard at the end of KS1 according to the NC descriptors)
Termly Assessment
Termly Assessment Task
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

Highlight in agreed termly colour and date the statements children have met –there will be a sample of
independent examples of evidence that demonstrated the highlighted judgments made
Write in the numerical value on the assessment grid for the child
Enter the child’s name onto the tracking sheet each term
Enter the correct numerical value onto SIMS each term
Writing Year 6
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
2
T6