Modelled writing session with Louise Robinson demonstrating shared writing strategies using Sentence Snake and story structure prompts

Building strong foundations in the first years of school through Ready Steady Write:

Louise is one of our expert consultants at Literacy Counts, specialising in Ready Steady Write, Spell and Phonics. With extensive experience in EYFS, she supports schools across England through bespoke consultancy days tailored to early writing development. Louise’s deep understanding of early years pedagogy ensures that every visit equips teachers with the tools and strategies needed to build strong foundations in reading and writing.

In this blog, Louise shares practical guidance for modelling writing in Reception and Year 1, focusing on the essential strategies that lay the groundwork for fluent, confident writers. From planning circles and Story Friends to letter formation and oral rehearsal, these approaches support the development of early writing skills in young learners. Although this guidance is shared through the lens of Ready Steady Write (our research-informed primary writing programme), the principles are applicable to any classroom. Some of the specific terminology may be unique to the programme, but the strategies are relevant and valuable for all schools. Continue reading to reflect on how your school models writing in EYFS and Year 1.

EYFS and Year 1 writing toolkit with phonics sound mats, grapheme charts, and Common Exception Words for shared writing support

An Effective Writer's Toolkit

When teaching young children in Reception and Year 1 to write, it is essential to create a well-organised writer’s toolkit. A writer’s toolkit is a purposeful collection of key writing resources that support independence and promote high-quality writing outcomes. By ensuring classrooms are equipped with these materials and designed to support independence, practitioners can create an optimal environment where young writers thrive. This toolkit should include a variety of resources such as:

Sentence Accuracy Checkers
Sound mats from your chosen phonics scheme
Common Exception Words
Grapheme charts
Consistent letter formation guides

In addition, your classroom’s Working Wall or washing line should display key learning prompts, including the Example Text, vocabulary from both the Vehicle Text and the Example Text, and Wise Owl’s Writer’s Knowledge (features found in Ready Steady Write). These visual and accessible tools support early writing development and reinforce the foundational skills children need to become fluent writers.

Oracy and writing resources supporting early sentence modelling in EYFS

The Importance of Lined Paper and Correct Letter Formation

When modelling writing for your class, always use lined paper. This simple but impactful step helps children see the structure of letters – particularly where they start and how they are formed. Demonstrating correct formation, especially with ascenders (such as ‘b’ or ‘h’) and descenders (such as ‘p’ or ‘y’), gives children the visual cues they need to develop fluency. For Ready Steady Write members, we’ve added our Ready Steady Phonics letter formation animations to the Premium Resources section of the membership. These optional resources can be used by schools whose current phonics scheme does not include its own letter formation visuals.

Consistency is key. If you use rhymes for graphemes, say them aloud as you write each one. Being meticulous about this during modelling helps lay a strong foundation for long-term writing success.

Planning the Writing Process with "Say Before You Write" and Visual Prompts

Before writing begins, support children in planning their story by playing the Story Song and using "Say Before You Write" prompts. Place images or real objects into four physical planning circles that represent the Story Friends: Octopus Opening, Build up Bear, Problem Penguin and Elephant Ending.

This strategy supports the development of early narrative structure. For example, after completing the teacher’s planning circle for Octopus Opening, you might introduce the prompt sentence: "Nan was ill in bed." These circles help children sequence their ideas and generate well-formed sentences.

Oral Rehearsal and Key Writing Strategies

Oral rehearsal is a critical step. Before any writing takes place, refer to the completed planning circle and say the sentence aloud. Ask: "Does it make sense?"
Ensure modelled sentences include previously taught grapheme-phoneme correspondences and Common Exception Words. For example:

Nan was ill in bed.

Here, model key writing skills such as using capital letters, finger spaces and full stops. Use your phonics scheme’s terminology and encourage segmentation for spelling. Always indicate the starting point and direction of graphemes as you write.

As children gain confidence and expand their phonic knowledge, model more complex sentences, ensuring you rehearse these aloud too. For instance:

Red set off with food for Nan.
She had a red hood on her coat.

Expanding Writing with Descriptive Language

Ready Steady Write helps children internalise story language and build a growing vocabulary bank, supported by beautifully written and sung Story Songs. These, along with Wise Owl’s Writer’s Knowledge and children’s own experiences, encourage imaginative and descriptive language.

Children may wish to include their own vocabulary in their writing. Practitioners can support this by drawing ideas into their planning and practising sentences orally.

EYFS pupil building a sentence using Sentence Snake from a primary writing scheme

Writing as a Class or in Small Groups

After modelling, invite children to write their own version of the story – either as a class or in small, guided groups. Ensure that the writer’s toolkit is readily accessible and reinforce oral rehearsal. Encourage children to make phonetically plausible attempts and focus on accurate letter formation.

Offer regular feedback and encourage use of Sentence Accuracy Checkers. Provide guidance on refining writing, particularly around common spelling errors, letter formation, and applying phonic knowledge.

Supporting Confident Writers

For confident and competent writers, extend their skills by encouraging the use of punctuation, vocabulary from the Vehicle and Example Texts, and story language to enhance the narrative structure. These children can be further challenged to deepen their use of sentence structure and vocabulary.

This approach to modelling writing in Reception and Year 1 highlights the importance of combining technical skill with creativity and structured support. By focusing on sentence structure, oral rehearsal, letter formation and the use of a writer’s toolkit, teachers can ensure that children develop the strong foundations they need for fluent, automated writing throughout their school journey.

Want to explore how Ready Steady Write supports sentence modelling from EYFS to KS2?

A brand new 12-minute training video has been added to the Ready Steady Write Training section of the membership area. In this video, Louise demonstrates a full modelled writing session for EYFS, showcasing how Literacy Counts recommends this crucial teaching approach. It’s an ideal resource for EYFS teams to watch together during a staff meeting or CPD session, helping practitioners to visualise what effective modelled writing looks like in practice.

Ready Steady Write: A Complete Primary School Writing Scheme

Ready Steady Write is a comprehensive writing scheme for primary schools that supports progression from EYFS through to Year 6. Designed around high-quality children’s literature, the programme provides a structured sequence of Immerse, Analyse, Plan and Write lessons. With a strong focus on spoken language, vocabulary development and sentence accuracy, Ready Steady Write helps children become confident, independent writers. The resource includes Example Texts, grammar activities, Working Walls and leadership tools, making it a complete and consistent approach to writing across the whole school.

If you are a school or MAT leader interested in learning more about Ready Steady Write, get in touch to request a FREE 1:1 meeting with one of our expert consultants. We’ll discuss your school's literacy priorities and explore how our research-informed programmes can support improved outcomes in writing.