This document has been produced to support teachers in tracking skills back for pupils working below age-related expectations. It ensures that pupils are being taught appropriate skills in line with those being taught to their peers. It is also particularly useful for teaching assistants involved with delivering support or catch-up programmes for English as it gives a clear overview of progression in skills from year 1 to year 6 by category across the year groups. This document was written in conjunction with our ‘Pathways to Write’ materials but is a useful aid for all schools.

For example, if the majority of pupils in year 5 are being taught relative clauses but if there is a pupil or small number of pupils who are not ready to be introduced to this learning, tracking back through the document might take the focus back to year 2, if this is where the pupil/pupils are working at. The focus would then be joining clauses using a range of co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions instead of developing relative clauses.