Schools should prioritise creative writing as an ‘enjoyable activity’ rather than using it as a means to improve technical skills, according to new research. 

Researchers from The University of Worcester spent 10 months working alongside primary schools in Shropshire as they took part in the visionary creative writing scheme ‘Readers to Writers’, delivered by the literacy charity Shropshire Bookfest.

Numbers of primary pupils reporting enjoyment in writing have declined since 2017, falling from 49.2% to just 34.5% in 2021.  Evidence suggests this is due to a heavy focus on skills such as handwriting, grammar and spelling rather than the creative process.

Positive attitudes…increased engagement…

Now new research from The Institute of Education at The University of Worcester shows that keeping the focus on writing for pleasure can lead to positive attitudes towards writing, increased engagement with the writing process  – and improved technical skills as a “natural outcome” of writing with enjoyment.

More freedom

Based on the “overwhelmingly positive response” from participating schools and pupils to Shropshire Bookfest’s innovative Readers to Writers project, the researchers recommend that schools should give pupils more freedom to write for pleasure. They also say pupils should be encouraged to assume ownership of their own work and take more risks in their writing. Author visits to the classroom were also noted as beneficial.

Shropshire Bookfest works with primary schools across the county to deliver an eight-month long project called ‘Readers to Writers’.  Published children’s authors are assigned to each school to inspire and mentor children as they are invited to create their own ‘books’. During this most recent Readers to Writers project, Shropshire Bookfest worked a host of authors and illustrators that included Peter Bently, Martin Brown, Tracey Corderoy, Gareth P Jones, Josh Lacey, Jenny McLachlan, Jack Meggitt-Phillips, Ross Montgomery, Sam Sedgman and Eloise Williams. The project ends with the top winners’ stories being narrated and filmed for the general public to access and enjoy.  As part of the whole project’s package to schools, teachers also enjoy an inspiring conference to kickstart the programme, led by inspiring specialists and academics in children’s literacy. 

Researchers from the University of Worcester spent 10 months assessing the impact of Readers to Writers 2023 on a group of 301 pupils from Years 1 to Year 6 across 10 primary schools. Pupils created storyboards about their journey as a writer during the project and researchers also interviewed 12 teachers from the participating schools. Details from the research reported a number of recommendations for improving children’s enjoyment of writing.

Pivotal impact

Hearing real children’s authors admit mistakes and struggles was found to have been a key part of the project; researchers said it had a “pivotal” impact on children’s own confidence in writing creatively. 

The researchers found that giving children the opportunity to write for pleasure hugely improved their confidence, enjoyment and engagement with the writing process. By keeping the focus on enjoyment and giving pupils more freedom, improved technical proficiency could be a ‘natural outcome’. 

Ownership over the writing process

Comments from teachers demonstrated the impact of the project in the classroom (“Reluctant readers couldn’t wait to read their story”). The children’s voices captured in the study indicate that ownership over their writing process is key to keeping them on board: “I love writing actual books”…”I am an author”. 

Competent and well-thought-out

The 2023 Readers to Writers Project was found to have received an “overwhelmingly positive” response from all schools and most pupils involved. Shropshire Bookfest organisers were also praised for delivering such a competent and well-thought-out project and for the support of the Bookfest team in motivating and supporting colleagues.

The full report can be accessed here