At Greenvale School, we recognise the importance to take pride in our work, so we have adopted a cursive handwriting approach. The cursive style will support our pupils in learning spellings and in developing a neat and legible handwriting style.

This starts with developing their basic letter shapes and movements in Reception to practising two letter joins in KS1. This progresses on to full words and writing sentences using the same cursive script handwriting.

Letters are grouped together and taught in letter families. At the beginning of year one, children are introduced to cursive writing. Each letter has a ‘leading flick’ which leads into the next letter. This helps children to prepare for joined up handwriting in Year 2.

Helping at home

Below is a sheet that has a rhyme for each letter of the alphabet to help children remember how to write each letter.

Here is a link to a useful site that has a video to show how to write each letter in a cursive style and worksheets that you can complete at home –

https://teachhandwriting.co.uk/continuous-cursive-beginners-choice-1.html

Supporting children with their handwriting in the Early Years

At school we focus on the skills needed to sound words out and on developing the pencil control to form letters. It takes time takes time for children to learn to form letters correctly. This is nothing to worry about. At school we show children how to form letters correctly and create lots of opportunities for children to write so that over time they develop this skill. The most important thing is that the children are motivated and confident to write, the perfect handwriting will come later!

Pencil Grip

Children move through several stages as they learn to hold a pencil correctly for writing and drawing. At school we support the children as they move along this path, gently encouraging them towards the correct grip. Children all develop at different rates and won't always show all of these different stages.

Helping at home

Lots of physical activity helps to build the muscles needed to write. This can be running around in the park, using the play equipment, helping to hang the washing! Anything that gets them moving (Gross motor skills). You can also help to strengthen hand and fingers muscles (Fine motor skills) to prepare for using a pencil and forming letters by doing anything fiddly. This could be threading pasta, sorting buttons or dried beans, using stickers, pegs, playdough or using a knife and fork.

Here is a link to a video that shows how to form each letter correctly - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYYSBProJH4

The resources below will support you with understanding your child’s pencil grip and how to support them to move onto the next stage.