Children’s handwriting progression

The three stages of handwriting

An explanation of the three developmental stages a child needs to go through to eventually have fluent and speedy handwriting.

Using picture and colour clues

Using picture and colour clues in the early stages of teaching handwriting helps a child learn important positioning and spacing skills. Here we explain how they work and how to use them.

Handwriting letter fonts

The fonts to teach and the order of teaching them isn’t specified in the UK National Curriculums. Here we explain the advantages of each font style and share our views on the best approach.

Pencil grip and hand dominance development

Before holding a pencil in a tripod grip there are four earlier grips a child needs to learn. Here we explain these developmental grips and provide information on hand dominance development and identification.

UK National Curriculums for handwriting

Statutory requirements plus notes and guidance for teaching handwriting to 4 to 11 year olds in; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.