What is the Year 6 writing TAF?

The Year 6 writing TAF is the statutory Teacher Assessment Framework used to judge end-of-KS2 writing. Teachers award Working Towards, Expected Standard or Greater Depth from a portfolio of independent writing — there is no external writing SAT.

How is KS2 writing assessment different from the SATs?

The KS2 SATs test reading, maths, and grammar/punctuation/spelling through externally marked papers. Writing is the only core subject assessed entirely by teacher judgement using the TAF. There is no writing exam — the judgement is based on evidence collected across Year 6.

What counts as independent writing at KS2?

Independent writing is produced without significant adult support. Brief verbal prompts, a task title, and stimulus material (such as a picture or short text) are acceptable. Sentence starters on the board, modelled paragraphs, word banks, or adult scribing mean the writing is not independent and cannot be used as TAF evidence.

Can cross-curricular writing be used as evidence?

Yes, and it is encouraged. A well-written science explanation, history recount, or geography report demonstrates that a pupil can apply writing skills independently across contexts. Cross-curricular evidence strengthens a moderation case because it shows genuine independence from English lesson scaffolding.

What is the difference between Expected Standard and Greater Depth at KS2?

The Expected Standard requires pupils to write effectively with correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling for their age. Greater Depth goes further — it requires conscious control of register and formality, precise vocabulary selection, varied clause structures, and correct use of semicolons and colons. The key distinction is deliberate, assured choice rather than just technical accuracy.

How many pieces of writing do I need for the Year 6 writing TAF?

Most schools collect 6–8 independent pieces across a range of purposes and audiences. Moderators look for consistency of each TAF statement across the collection, not a single showcase piece.

KS2 Writing

Year 6 Writing TAF Explained

The Year 6 writing TAF (Teacher Assessment Framework) sets the statutory standards for end-of-KS2 writing. This guide breaks down every WTS, EXS and GDS criterion so you can assess and moderate Year 6 writing with confidence.

What This Question Asks

The Year 6 writing TAF is the statutory Teacher Assessment Framework for assessing writing at the end of Key Stage 2. Writing is the only core subject at KS2 that is not externally tested — it is assessed entirely through teacher judgement using evidence collected across the final year. The framework sets out “pupil can” statements organised into three standards: Working Towards the Expected Standard (WTS), Working at the Expected Standard (EXS), and Working at Greater Depth within the Expected Standard (GDS). To be judged at a standard, a pupil must demonstrate all statements within that standard. The evidence must come from independent writing — work produced without significant scaffolding, word banks, or teacher dictation. Teachers typically collect 6–8 pieces across different genres and purposes: narrative, persuasion, explanation, discussion, recount, and formal/informal writing. The KS2 TAF is more demanding than KS1 in several areas: it expects a wider range of sentence structures, more sophisticated punctuation (including colons, semicolons, and hyphens), accurate use of Standard English, and the ability to select vocabulary and grammatical structures appropriate to the level of formality required. Spelling expectations include words from the Year 5/6 statutory spelling list. Handwriting must be joined, legible, and fluent for the Expected Standard.

Mark Scheme Breakdown

Working Towards the Expected StandardWTS

Writes for a range of purposes, using some features of the intended text type.
Uses paragraphs to organise ideas.
Uses capital letters, full stops, question marks, and exclamation marks mostly correctly.
Uses some co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions to extend sentences.
Spells most words from the Year 3/4 statutory spelling list correctly.
Produces legible joined handwriting.

Working at the Expected StandardEXS

Writes effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, selecting language that shows good awareness of the reader.
In narratives, describes settings, characters, and atmosphere with carefully chosen vocabulary and detail.
In non-narrative writing, uses simple organisational devices such as headings and bullet points.
Uses paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme, with opening and closing statements.
Uses a range of cohesive devices including adverbials, conjunctions, and pronouns.
Uses verb tenses consistently and correctly throughout their writing.
Uses the range of punctuation taught at Key Stage 2 mostly correctly, including commas for clarity, apostrophes, and inverted commas.
Spells most words correctly from the Year 5/6 statutory spelling list.
Maintains legibility and fluency in joined handwriting across the piece.

Working at Greater Depth within the Expected StandardGDS

Writes effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, selecting the appropriate form and drawing independently on what they have read as models for their own writing.
Distinguishes between the language of speech and writing, and selects the appropriate register.
Exercises an assured and conscious control over levels of formality through selecting vocabulary precisely and manipulating grammatical structures.
Uses the range of punctuation taught at Key Stage 2 correctly, including colons and semicolons to mark the boundary between independent clauses.
Uses a wide range of clause structures, sometimes varying their position within the sentence.
Uses inverted commas, commas for clarity, and punctuation for parenthesis mostly correctly.

How to Structure Your Answer

Build a diverse evidence portfolio across the year

Collect 6–8 pieces of independent writing from Year 6 across different genres and contexts. Include narrative, persuasion, explanation, discussion, letter writing, and at least one piece from a cross-curricular context. Ensure writing is genuinely independent — produced without sentence starters, modelled text, or significant teacher intervention during the writing process.

A narrative inspired by a class novel, a persuasive letter to the local council, a balanced discussion about screen time, a science explanation of the circulatory system, a historical recount from a World War 2 evacuee perspective, and a formal letter of complaint.

Annotate evidence against each TAF statement

Systematically annotate each piece of writing to show where specific TAF criteria are met. Use a consistent highlighting system — for example, colour-coding for composition, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and handwriting. Ensure annotations are clear enough for an external moderator to follow without explanation.

Assess consistency across the whole collection

Each TAF statement must be demonstrated consistently — not just in one piece. Review the annotated collection as a whole and check that skills appear across multiple pieces. Pay particular attention to the EXS criteria around verb tense consistency and punctuation, which are common areas of inconsistency even in otherwise strong writers.

Determine the overall judgement

A pupil meets a standard when they demonstrate all the statements within it. Apply the judgements in order: does the pupil meet all WTS statements? If yes, do they also meet all EXS statements? If yes, do they also meet all GDS statements? The judgement is the highest standard where all statements are met. Occasional slips in otherwise consistent work are acceptable under the “best fit” principle.

Prepare moderation-ready evidence folders

Create a folder per pupil with a cover sheet listing the judgement and a grid mapping each TAF statement to the pieces that evidence it. Include photocopies or originals of annotated writing. For borderline pupils, add a brief rationale note explaining your reasoning. Ensure all evidence is dated and clearly labelled as independent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Accepting scaffolded work as independent evidence — if the class all used the same opening paragraph or structure template, moderators will reject it.

Underestimating the Greater Depth register criterion — GDS requires pupils to consciously control formality, not just write well. Evidence must show deliberate shifts between formal and informal registers.

Ignoring the handwriting requirement — a pupil who prints rather than joins cannot achieve the Expected Standard, even if their composition and grammar are strong.

Over-relying on narrative evidence — the TAF requires writing for “a range of purposes and audiences”, so an evidence folder with five stories and one letter is insufficient.

Confusing the KS2 TAF with KS1 expectations — the KS2 framework expects significantly more sophisticated punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary than KS1, including semicolons and colons at Greater Depth.

Top Tips

Plan your writing curriculum backwards from the TAF — ensure pupils have opportunities to write independently in every genre the framework requires before the assessment window.

Use “cold writes” (writing tasks given without prior teaching of the genre) as your strongest independence evidence. These are the hardest pieces for moderators to challenge.

Focus Greater Depth teaching on register and formality, not just technical accuracy. The difference between EXS and GDS is conscious control of language choices, not just fewer errors.

Practise internal moderation with colleagues using anonymised pupil work. Disagreements between teachers reveal ambiguities in how criteria are being interpreted and make external moderation much smoother.

Read the STA’s exemplification materials carefully — they show annotated writing at each standard and clarify what “mostly correctly” and “some” mean in practice.

Practise This Question Type

Write a persuasive letter to your headteacher explaining why Year 6 pupils should be allowed to organise a charity event. Include formal language, a clear argument with reasons and evidence, and a polite but firm conclusion.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Related Guides

KS2 TAF Overview

KS1 Writing Assessment Framework

KS2 Greater Depth Writing

Back to KS2 Writing

Related Resources

Exam Technique Guides

KS2 TAF Overview — KS2 Writing Exam Guide

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