✍️ The New Government Writing Framework Just Dropped — and It's About Time

The Department for Education quietly released a new 150-page writing framework this week.

It's a relief to finally see in writing what I—and many other writing specialists—have been saying for years.

In short, the new guidance makes one thing clear:

👉 Stop rushing kids into big writing tasks.

👉 Start by helping them write really strong sentences.

Simple. Sensible. And—frankly—long overdue.

Because here’s the truth: most children don’t struggle with writing because they lack imagination. They struggle because no one has taught them how to build sentences that clearly express those ideas.

This new framework gets that. It shifts the focus back to the fundamentals—and it’s refreshing to see.

🧩 Four Key Shifts the Framework Highlights — and How You Can Support Them at Home:

1. Start with the sentence. Always.

Before children can write well, they need to feel in control of sentence-building. Not just stringing words together, but learning how to express a full thought clearly and effectively.

It’s not about writing more. It’s about writing better.

✅ Try this at home:Ask your child to write one really clear sentence about something they did today. Then build on it:— Can we add an adjective?— Could we link it to another idea?— What if we change the order? It becomes a mini workout in clarity and expression.

2. Grammar and punctuation aren’t the goal — they’re the tools.

The framework is clear: grammar and punctuation should serve writing, not stifle it. They’re not checklist items — they’re tools to shape meaning, control tone, and guide the reader.

✅ Try this at home:Take a plain sentence and experiment:— Add a colon, dash, or coordinating conjunction.— See how it changes tone or rhythm.— Ask: What feels clearer? What feels stronger?

This helps children see grammar as a creative toolset, not a set of rules to fear.

3. Vocabulary needs teaching — not just “Use a better word.”

The framework acknowledges that rich vocabulary isn’t just absorbed. It must be explicitly taught—modelled, discussed, and used in different contexts.

✅ Try this at home:Pick a “word of the day” and use it in different ways:— How does it change form? (e.g., build, builder, building)— Where else might we use it?— Can we swap a word in a book for something stronger?

The aim isn’t to sound fancy—it’s to help children choose the right word for the right moment.

4. Say it before you write it.

One of the simplest, most overlooked writing strategies: compose aloud first.

The framework highlights the power of oral rehearsal—because if a sentence sounds good out loud, it likely reads well too.

✅ Try this at home:Before your child writes anything, ask them to speak the sentence first.Let them test it, tweak it, play with it—then write it down.This one strategy alone can be a game-changer for children who freeze up at the blank page.

🧭 In the End…

It’s encouraging to see the government shift toward an approach that values clarity, control, and sentence craft over volume or vague creativity. And honestly? It's about time!

👉 If you want children to write well, teach them how to build strong sentences—using the tools of grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary with purpose.