High-quality handwriting teaching supports children to develop fluent, legible and increasingly automatic handwriting. The National Handwriting Association (NHA) provides evidence-informed training for professionals who want to strengthen handwriting practice, improve outcomes for pupils and develop a consistent whole-school approach. Our training fully aligns with the Writing Framework 2025 and the National Curriculum.
Introduction
Effective handwriting teaching begins with confident, knowledgeable practitioners.
NHA in-service training (INSET) provides teachers, teaching assistants, school leaders and health professionals with practical, evidence-informed guidance to support handwriting development from the early years through to secondary school.
Our training recognises that handwriting is a complex skill involving physical, perceptual, cognitive and language processes. It combines current research with practical strategies that can be applied directly in educational settings.
Training can be tailored to the needs of your school, setting or professional group, whether you are developing handwriting provision across a whole school, reviewing your existing approach, supporting pupils who experience handwriting difficulties, or developing your own professional knowledge.
Why is handwriting training important?
Many education professionals have had limited opportunities to develop their knowledge of handwriting teaching during initial teacher training or throughout their careers. Others may be reviewing approaches that have been established in their setting for many years.
As our understanding of handwriting development continues to grow, it is important that teaching approaches remain informed by current evidence and responsive to the needs of today’s pupils.
NHA training can help practitioners to:
- develop greater confidence in teaching handwriting
- understand the development of handwriting from early mark-making through to fluent (automatic and functional) handwriting
- recognise the factors that can support or hinder handwriting development
- develop effective teaching and practice routines
- identify pupils who may need additional support
- use appropriate assessment to identify strengths and areas for development
- plan targeted handwriting interventions
- support pupils who need the most support (including SEND)
- develop greater consistency across a school or setting
- work effectively with colleagues and other professionals.
Who can benefit from INSET?
Our training is designed for professionals working with children and young people, including:
- class and subject teachers
- teaching assistants and support staff
- SENCOs and inclusion leaders
- literacy and English leaders
- school leaders
- early years practitioners
- specialist teachers
- student teachers and trainees
- educational psychologists
- occupational therapists
- physiotherapists
- other professionals supporting children’s handwriting development.
Training can be adapted for individual schools, whole-school staff teams, specialist services or mixed professional groups.
Who delivers NHA training?
NHA training is delivered by members of the Association with specialist knowledge and experience in handwriting development, education, psychology and therapy.
Our trainers bring together professional expertise, practical experience and an understanding of current research to provide training that is relevant to the needs of each group.
What form can the training take?
We offer a range of flexible training options, including:
- Full-day INSET for whole-school or professional teams
- Half-day training sessions focusing on specific areas of handwriting practice
- Practical workshops with opportunities to explore strategies and resources
- Bespoke training tailored to the priorities of an individual school or setting
- Consultation and professional development for individual teachers or therapists (on request)
- Handwriting review and discussion, including consideration of pupils’ handwriting samples.
Training can take place in your school or at another suitable venue within the UK.
Suggested training topics
Understanding handwriting development
- Introduction to handwriting
- Readiness for handwriting and pre-writing experiences
- Developing the foundations for handwriting
- Understanding handwriting fluency, legibility and automaticity
- Supporting progression
Teaching handwriting and practical implementation in schools
- Effective handwriting teaching
- Letter formation and joining
- Developing consistency and accuracy
- Supporting handwriting speed and fluency
- Handwriting practice and classroom routines
- Handwriting across the curriculum
Assessment and intervention
- Assessing handwriting
- Identifying handwriting difficulties
- Planning effective handwriting intervention
- Supporting pupils who are struggling to develop handwriting fluency
- Handwriting ‘Surgery’: discussion and analysis of pupils’ handwriting samples
Inclusive handwriting practice for pupils who need the most support
- Supporting pupils with SEND
- Adapting handwriting teaching to meet individual needs
- Left-handed writers
- Supporting pupils with physical and motor difficulties
- Tools, furniture, grips and grasp
- Working effectively with health professionals
Whole-school development
- Developing a whole-school handwriting policy
- Developing a consistent whole-school approach
- Reviewing and improving handwriting provision
- Supporting staff confidence and consistency
- Developing handwriting progression and assessment
For a full-day session, we recommend selecting up to three areas so that there is sufficient time for discussion, practical activity and application to your own setting.
Bespoke training
Every school and professional team has different priorities.
We can work with you to develop a more bespoke training programme based on your school’s needs. This might include a combination of whole-school development, handwriting teaching, assessment, intervention and practical workshops.
Bespoke training can be particularly useful when a school is:
- introducing or reviewing a handwriting scheme
- developing a whole-school handwriting policy
- seeking greater consistency in handwriting teaching
- reviewing pupils’ handwriting outcomes
- developing staff confidence
- strengthening provision for pupils with SEND
- introducing a new assessment or intervention approach.
We recommend discussing your priorities with us so that we can help you identify the most appropriate training format and content.
Fees
| Training | Hours | Fee |
| Full day (member) | 6 | £995 |
| Full day (non-member | 6 | £1,195 |
| Half day | 3 | £650 |
| Twilight online | 1 | £175 |
| Rolling training (drop in style) | Full school day | £1,500 |
| 2 trainers full day (including 2 follow-up consultations advising on policy and implementation and initial discussion around bespoke needs) | 6.5 | £2,350 |
Fees are subject to expenses, e.g. fuel/transport costs and accommodation if applicable.
The NHA will share training materials in advance of sessions. Corporate samples are usually available and shared with attendees.
All prices include a contribution to the NHA. For a members’ discount, please quote your NHA membership number when you book.
For further information or to discuss your training requirements, please contact:
