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Handwriting Policy Template: Build An Editable Policy For Your School

Last checked · UK English · Free to use

A handwriting policy sets out your school's handwriting style, teaching sequence, expectations and support. Answer the questions below on style, letter families, when joins start, lines and pens to build an editable policy aligned to the National Curriculum, with a summary for parents.

On this page
  1. Build Your Handwriting Policy
  2. What Should A Handwriting Policy Include?
  3. What Does A Good Handwriting Policy Look Like?
  4. How Do You Write A Handwriting Policy?
  5. Is A Handwriting Policy A Statutory Requirement?
  6. Questions About Handwriting Policies

Build Your Handwriting Policy

Build Your Handwriting Policy

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What Should A Handwriting Policy Include?

A handwriting policy covers eleven sections:

  1. Aims. Legible, fluent, comfortable handwriting for every pupil.
  2. Style. Print, pre-cursive or continuous cursive, with an example alphabet.
  3. Letter families. The names and order you teach.
  4. Progression. What each year learns. See handwriting progression.
  5. Joins. When joining starts and which letters stay unjoined.
  6. Teaching time. How often and how long lessons are.
  7. Posture and grip. The routines you teach.
  8. Lines and paper. Line sizes for each year.
  9. Pens. When pupils move from pencil to pen.
  10. Inclusion. Left-handers, SEND and new arrivals.
  11. Assessment and review. How you check progress and when the policy is reviewed.

What Does A Good Handwriting Policy Look Like?

A good policy is short, specific and matches what happens in classrooms. Three example excerpts:

Joins. Pupils learn to join once they form every print letter correctly and consistently, usually in Year 2. We teach the diagonal join first, then the horizontal join.

Left-handed pupils. Left-handed pupils sit to the left of a right-handed partner, slant their paper to the right and hold the pencil slightly higher.

Modelling. All adults model the school's handwriting style in every subject.

Each follows the DfE writing framework. See handwriting and the National Curriculum.

How Do You Write A Handwriting Policy?

Write it in six steps.

  1. Agree the style. With staff, and in line with any scheme. See handwriting schemes.
  2. Map the progression. Year by year, with the NC statements.
  3. Decide pens and presentation. Including any pen licence.
  4. Plan inclusion. Left-handers, SEND and adapted equipment.
  5. Set assessment. A termly sample against clear criteria. See the assessment checklist.
  6. Share it. With staff, teaching assistants and parents.

Is A Handwriting Policy A Statutory Requirement?

No. We found no DfE requirement for a separate handwriting policy. The DfE's former list of statutory school policies, withdrawn in March 2024, did not include one. Maintained schools teach the National Curriculum, which includes handwriting, and a policy keeps that teaching consistent. See handwriting and the National Curriculum.

Questions About Handwriting Policies

How Often Should A Handwriting Policy Be Reviewed?

Schools set their own cycle. Review it whenever you change scheme or style, so it matches what is taught.

Should The Policy Name A Scheme?

Yes, if you use one, so new staff know which letterforms to teach.

Can I Edit The Downloaded Policy?

Yes. It downloads as a Word document, ready to edit.

More on curriculum and schools, chosen to follow on from this page.

  • Handwriting Schemes UK Compare UK handwriting schemes side by side: Kinetic Letters, Letter-join, Nelson, Penpals and more, by style, joins, EYFS, resources and cost. Facts dated.
  • Handwriting In The National Curriculum The handwriting National Curriculum for England, word for word, from Year 1 to Year 6, with plain-English notes and examples of what each one looks like.
  • Handwriting In The EYFS What the EYFS expects for handwriting by the end of Reception, word for word, with examples, a daily routine and activities that build to letter formation.
  • Handwriting In KS1 Handwriting in KS1: what Year 1 and Year 2 children learn, what good handwriting looks like at each stage, term-by-term plans, activities and free sheets.
  • Handwriting In KS2 KS2 handwriting expectations for Years 3 to 6: joins, legibility and speed, what counts at the end of Year 6, SATs myths explained, and a fluency checklist.