Getting it right (and what is wrong with The Writing Framework) by Dr Viki Veale

This blog argues that the new DfE Writing Framework (2025) is flawed, with biased input and misguided guidance. It warns that the framework undermines play-based, child-centred approaches to early writing. It echoes concerns coming from much of the sector too.

Getting it right (and what is wrong with The Writing Framework)

The newly released Writing Framework (DfE, 2025) has not been well received. While clear guidance on how to support learning and development will always be welcomed there is a great deal that is just not right with this document.

The first point of order is the conflict of interest arising from the involvement of Ruth Miskin, founder of READ WRITE INC. Having been publicly thanked for her involvement in the development of the framework, the very day after the release of the framework, READ WRITE INC released a commercially available scheme of work for handwriting.

The framework explicitly encourages ‘regular explicit handwriting instruction, in addition to phonics, early in reception’ (DfE, 2025:24) and suggests ‘dictation is helpful for all children so that they can practise the transcription they are taught’ (DfE, 2025;26). It goes on to advise

‘Leaders therefore need to ensure that, in addition to a good phonics programme that will teach children to recognise letters and spell words, they have an agreed, whole-school approach to teaching handwriting so that children have the best chance to learn to handwrite’.

There can be little doubt whose programmes are being promoted!

Our second point concerns the suggestion that

'unlike babies babbling before they speak, ‘emergent writing’ is not a necessary stage that children have to go through before they can be taught to write letters and words.

The text around this statement (DfE, 2025: 26) explains that, while many children will ‘play at writing’ and it is important to have writing materials available for this purpose, some children will prefer ‘other physical activities, such as building, climbing and balancing rather than sitting and writing’. While we do not deny the accuracy of this explanation, once again, one poorly worded statement, along with the obvious controversy surrounding the authors of the report, will now dominate conversations about what could have been useful guidance for senior leaders.

The framework goes on to direct readers to Development Matters (DfE, 2023) for further guidance on how to support the development of fine motor skills and acknowledges that summer born boys in particular may not be ready to write. Here too though, what might have been a helpful sentence has been poorly worded so that rather than acknowledging that summer born children may not be developmentally ready to write, it instead suggests that summer born boys will need ‘intentional, intensive support’ (DfE, 2025:26) to develop their fine motor skills.

The framework does acknowledge the importance of talk for writing in Reception and that, at this stage, composition may be largely oral in nature. It justifies its focus on transcription with a misguided sentence about relieving children of the burden of thinking of their own ideas when writing (DfE, 2025;27). This is perhaps one of the most insidious statements in the sea of this invidious guidance for supporting early writing, risking as it does the further erosion of the autonomous child-centred experiences that lie at the heart of early learning and development.

Our former chair, Dr Karen Boardman, has written a significant text on how to support early literacy, as has trustee Dr Karen Vincent with her colleague Dr Kate Smith (2022). Outside TACTYC, Alistair Bryce Clegg (2015) offers a range of creative stimuli for young writers through play and Young and Ferguson (2021) share insights into the research and science surrounding writing development.  It is disappointing then that the Department for Education have chosen to solicit input solely it seems from the producers of commercial schemes of work. If the Department for Education is sincere about getting it right when trying to produce credible guidance for early writing, they will have to be more judicious about who they choose to collaborate with! 

References:

Boardman, K. (2024) Early Literacy for Under Fives. London: Sage.

Bryce-Clegg, A. (2015) 50 Fantastic Ideas for Early Writing Prompts. London: Featherstone.

DfE. (2025) The Writing Framework. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686e7890fe1a249e937cbecb/The_writing_framework.pdf

Vincent, K. and Smith, K. (2022). Supporting Early Literacies through Play. London: Sage.

Young, R. and Ferguson, F. (2021). The Science of Teaching Primary Writing. Available at: https://writing4pleasure.com/product/the-science-of-teaching-primary-writing-individual/