Likely to be assessed as low level 4 in Key Stage 3 or GCSE grade F in Key Stage 4
Pupils who are becoming competent writers have relevant ideas, some of which are developed with some detail. They can usually establish a viewpoint and maintain it most of the time. They are usually clear about the purpose of their writing and can sometimes sustain consistently the form and style that matches it. They are beginning to organise their writing by clustering ideas or by using a time sequence. These writers often produce work that starts with promise.
Sentences are beginning to vary in length and structure. There is increasing use of complex sentences with connectives such as if, when, because. Most sentences are correctly demarcated with capital letters and full stops. They are starting to develop the use of commas.
The range of their vocabulary is growing and words are occasionally chosen for effect.
These writers are likely still to need targets to take them to level 4 in some AF areas.
See the standards files below for exemplification of pupil work at this level.
Likely to be assessed as secure or high level 4 in Key Stage 3 or GCSE grade F/E in Key Stage 4
Pupils who are securely established as competent writers can be relied upon to choose relevant content and to develop some aspects of it by adding detail. They establish a straightforward viewpoint and manage to maintain it with good consistency. The writing has clarity of purpose and the main features of the selected form are deployed appropriately, although there is still the possibility of some inconsistencies. The organising principles behind their writing will be simple but usually strong enough to link the openings and the endings.
Secure competent writers sometimes make conscious attempts to vary the length, structure and subject of sentences. Changes of verb tense are now managed without confusion. Complex sentences are used more frequently with the range of connectives that these require. The accuracy of sentence demarcation may decrease a little as sentences become longer and more varied in structure. There is emerging evidence that these writers are beginning to understand the use of commas to mark clause boundaries. Other punctuation such as speech marks and question marks is used.
Words are now sometimes chosen deliberately for impact and the vocabulary used may be extended beyond the everyday to incorporate specialist words linked to the subject matter.
These writers are likely to need targets to take them to level 5 in some AF areas.
See Pupil 10 – Year 7 – Secure level 4 for exemplification of pupil work at this level.
