Catherine Devlin
Key Stage 2
Primary Writing Moderation Lead
Since beginning my teaching career in 2002, I have worked across Key Stage 2, teaching for many years in Year 6, and gaining a wealth of knowledge and expertise in teaching and learning, and assessment across the primary curriculum. As a senior leader at Sylvester Primary Academy, my responsibilities include, Mathematics Specialist Lead, Pupil Premium Lead and Computing Coordinator. At Sylvester and within the Wade Deacon Trust, I work alongside a strong team to lead the assessment of writing; supporting staff in making judgements and providing coaching to further develop the teaching of writing and aid successive outcomes for all of our children.
Since 2013, I have been part of Knowsley’s Local Authority writing moderation team, and in 2017, I was successful in securing the role of KS2 Moderation Lead. As part of this role, working alongside my colleague Dan Taylor, I attend national moderation lead training and subsequently train members of the LA moderation team. Attending annual Standards and Testing Agency training, and moderating across the LA, provides me with a unique insight into national, as well as local trends for the development of primary writing: an invaluable knowledge that I bring to the role of Primary Improvement Lead for Writing Moderation across the Wade Deacon Trust.
My own passion as a writer has driven my goal to improve the teaching of writing, and writing outcomes, for all children across the Trust. It is my believe that learning to write is one of the most important skills that our children will learn at primary school hence equipping them with the tools to become confident and successful writers is paramount. Writing provides children with a vehicle to express who they are as people and to actively engage in daily life. It makes children’s thinking and learning visible and permanent and provides children with opportunities to explain and refine their ideas to others and themselves. Proficient writers can reflect on experiences and learn from them, express creativity, entertain, inspire others, make a community contribution, facilitate academic and career success and leave a lasting legacy: something we strive for, for all of our children.
Working in a supportive role as part of a dedicated team, it is our aim to provide a programme of bespoke provision to enable all trust schools to achieve high standards in writing and to ensure our children grow into self-assured, independent writers - reaching their true potential. My own love of writing has driven this passion within my own classroom and school, and now within the Wade Deacon Trust.
