At Sandbrook Community Primary School, Rochdale, consistency and quality in writing are at the heart of their curriculum. As a large school in the Watergrove Trust, they recognised the need for a structured, high-quality approach to writing that could bring clarity for teachers and ensure progression for every pupil. To achieve this, they adopted Ready Steady Write, a decision that has already shown remarkable results. We spoke with G. Mason, the Assistant Headteacher at Sandbrook, about how adopting Ready Steady Write has supported all of their learners.

The reasons you decided to go ahead with Ready Steady Write

“As a three-form entry primary school, one of our key priorities was to establish a consistent, high-quality approach to the teaching of writing across all year groups. Before adopting Ready Steady Write, we had a variety of teaching styles and methods in use, which made it challenging to ensure a smooth and progressive learning journey for our pupils. We needed a unified framework that would provide clarity for our teachers and consistency for our students.

Furthermore, we were looking for a scheme that would not only benefit our pupils but also support our staff. We have a significant number of Early Career Teachers (ECTs) who, while enthusiastic and talented, needed more support with the explicit modelling of writing. Ready Steady Write immediately stood out because of its strong emphasis on high-quality modelling. This has been a huge benefit, it not only ensures our pupils are exposed to exemplary writing but also acts as a form of on-the-job professional development for our ECTs, helping them to develop their own practice and confidence.

Ultimately, our main driver was the need to raise the overall standard and expectation of writing across the school. We were confident that the ambitious yet accessible structure of Ready Steady Write would provide the necessary tools and inspiration to elevate the quality of our pupils' work. We have been thrilled with the results and the positive impact it has had so far.”

Teachers describe how the Ready Steady Write programme supports effective and consistent writing teaching across primary classrooms.

Before-and-after writing data or any other data that shows the impact of the resource

“The impact of Ready Steady Write has been swift and significant. After only two terms of using the scheme, we have already seen tangible and impressive results in our end-of-key-stage data.

Specifically, we are delighted to report a notable increase in our writing attainment at the end of Key Stage 2. Our data shows that the percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard (ARE) in writing has risen by 6% compared to the previous year.

Equally encouraging is the progress of our more able writers. The percentage of pupils achieving greater depth (GD) has increased by 5%. This is a strong indicator that the scheme is not only supporting pupils to reach the expected standard but is also effectively challenging and extending our high-flyers. These early results have reinforced our belief that we made the right choice in adopting Ready Steady Write, and we are excited to see the continued impact it will have on our pupils' writing journeys.”

How Ready Steady Write supports your lowest 20% of learners

“One of the key strengths of Ready Steady Write is its inherent flexibility, which makes it incredibly effective at supporting our most vulnerable learners. The scheme is designed to be easily adaptable, allowing our teachers to meet the diverse needs within their classrooms.

We have found the pre-provided vocabulary banks to be a huge asset. This ready-made resource helps to reduce the cognitive load for our pupils who may struggle with generating their own language, enabling them to focus on the structure and content of their writing.

Additionally, the scheme places a strong emphasis on oracy. There are so many built-in opportunities for discussion, talk partners and verbal rehearsal before writing. This is particularly beneficial for our lower-attaining pupils as it helps them to articulate their ideas and build confidence before they even put pen to paper.

Finally, the engaging and high-quality texts at the heart of each unit act as a powerful hook, making the writing process feel more purposeful and exciting. Combined with the wealth of ideas for task adjustments, this scheme empowers our teachers to provide the right level of support and challenge for every pupil, ensuring our lowest 20% of learners are not just included, but are making strong progress and experiencing success.”

Leadership and staff reflections

“The positive feedback from both staff and leadership has been overwhelming and, for us, this is a key indicator of the scheme's success. It is not just about the data; it is about the confidence and consistency we are seeing in the classrooms every day.

From a staff perspective, there has been a noticeable reduction in workload and an incredible boost in confidence. Teachers have reported feeling more knowledgeable about what to teach and what the expectations are for their learners. This clarity has been transformative, allowing them to focus on the quality of their teaching and the individual needs of their pupils, rather than spending time creating resources from scratch. They have also commented on the remarkable improvements in pupils' vocabulary and writing stamina, which are a direct result of the rich texts and structured approach.

For our leadership team, the benefits have been just as clear. We have achieved the consistency we were striving for across all classes. The standard of work is higher and pupils are more focused on their writing tasks. More work is being completed and to a better standard. This has given us great confidence that we have found a writing scheme that not only raises attainment but also empowers our teachers and inspires our pupils.”

Pupil voice

“The most powerful testament to the success of Ready Steady Write comes directly from our pupils. Their feedback has been incredibly positive and gives us great insight into the programme's impact on their confidence and enjoyment of writing.

Here are some of the things our pupils have told us:

"I enjoy my writing, I have gotten faster."

"I like to write about the books we read in class."

"The more I write, the better my handwriting gets."

"Ready Steady Write has made my writing better."

"It is really fun. I get to be creative and use my own ideas."

"I love using my imagination."

"I like learning new words."

"My teacher acts out things and makes learning enjoyable."

"I get to be able to show my good ideas."

These quotes highlight the programme's success in building confidence and fostering a genuine love for writing. Children are not only producing more work but are also proud to show off their progress, which is a joy to see. The positive change is clearly visible in the progression across their books, proving that when children feel confident and engaged, they will flourish as writers.”

Pupils explain how Ready Steady Write helps them enjoy writing and grow in confidence through inclusive, engaging lessons.

Comments from recent reports referencing strong literacy outcomes

‘A new scheme of learning is in place and there is a clear rationale for why the scheme was changed, its benefits and the impact that it has had in a term. It provides a clear structure for lessons and an emphasis on quality modelling. The scheme comes with detailed planning, although teachers are still expected and required to adapt it to the needs of their classes. Implementation has been supported by whole-school CPD as well as ‘planning surgeries’. A range of monitoring activities take place each half term and outcomes, including a teacher self-reflection exercise, feed back into CPD and action planning. It was clear from joint lesson visits that the subject leader knows the strengths and areas for development and can give examples of actions to support teachers and pupils.’

‘Lesson visits showed that the scheme is being followed in all years, and there was evidence of explicit live modelling, constant checking on learning and clear teacher exposition. The build-up and sequencing of the curriculum towards a defined endpoint was obvious.’

‘Work scrutiny and pupil voice confirmed leaders’ evaluations and findings from lesson visits. In all years, progress since September was strong and there was greater stamina for writing as well as improvements in presentation and handwriting. In all years, the curriculum was clearly in evidence, including for those learners with SEND. Learners understood the structure of a typical writing lesson, with most saying that they enjoyed writing because it allowed them to express themselves and be creative. Most could find a piece of writing that they were proud of and explain why.’

QA Report (External Consultant) – April 2025

Ready Steady Write supporting inclusion through adaptable writing resources and vocabulary-rich lessons for all learners.

SEND deep dive feedback

“We recently had a SEND deep dive (on 17th June) and English came out strong. We have a Year 5/6 group that are working significantly below, and they follow the Year 1 curriculum, so that it is pitched at the correct level for them, but still involves them in our whole-school approach. I was so pleased with the feedback! Our staff have worked so hard!”

Comments from the SEND deep dive included:

‘During the observed English lessons, pupils with SEND engaged with learning through a variety of scaffolds and adaptations, enabling them to participate alongside their peers effectively. Established learning routines were well embedded, allowing the pupils to understand expectations and anticipate upcoming activities. All students were exposed to ambitious vocabulary, and in the Year 1 class, the teacher’s repetition of sentences and modelling provided valuable support for language acquisition, particularly benefiting pupils with SEND. The Year 5/6 group provision were able to express their ideas clearly using a range of ambitious noun phrases to explain a setting description. The pupils discussed how English is their favourite subject and they enjoy the work they produce.’

Thank you to everyone at Sandbrook Community Primary School for sharing their inspiring journey with Ready Steady Write. It is fantastic to see such impact across pupils, teachers and leadership.

If your school is ready to transform writing outcomes, explore Ready Steady Write today or book a free discovery call with our team to find out how we can support you.