Everybody Writes

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Everybody Writes takes writing beyond the classroom and across the curriculum.

About Everybody Writes

Everybody Writes encourages a love of writing for all children. The approach provides teachers with original and creative ways to engage children in writing. Everybody Writes is particularly effective in engaging the interest of reluctant writers. The four key principles of the project are:

  • Taking writing beyond the classroom: into the playground, community and world of work
  • Giving children hands-on experiences to write about
  • Finding real audiences for children's writing
  • Exploring writing across the curriculum

An Everybody Writes project could involve: staging an alien landing in the playground to inspire sci-fi writing; running a series of after-school workshops for parents and children to write and illustrate a family cookbook; or setting up a lunchtime blogging club to track the progress of a favourite Premier League football team.

Impact on attainment

Everybody Writes was a project delivered in partnership by the National Literacy Trust and BookTrust from 2006 to 2011 with funding from DCSF and then DFE.

The University of Sheffield evaluated Everybody Writes in 2009 and found that the approach had a positive impact on:

  • Raising the confidence of pupils in relation to writing
  • Enhancing pupils’ attitudes towards writing
  • Raising attainment in writing
  • Providing pupils with opportunities to engage in authentic purposes for writing
This evaluation summary is an extract from the final project report (2011) and highlights the impact of the project on attainment and attitudes to writing

Take part in Everybody Writes

Practical advice and resources to help you bring Everybody Writes into your classroom today.