What is greater depth writing in Year 6?

'Working at greater depth' is the highest of the three standards in the statutory teacher assessment framework for writing at the end of key stage 2. A child at greater depth writes effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, draws independently on what they have read as models for their own writing, chooses the appropriate register, exercises an assured and conscious control over levels of formality, and uses the full range of KS2 punctuation correctly and, when necessary, precisely to enhance meaning. It is judged by the class teacher across a collection of independent writing, not by a test.

What does 'working at greater depth' mean on my child's report?

It means the teacher has judged, from your child's writing across the year, that they are working above the expected standard for the end of Year 6 — not just meeting the curriculum expectations but controlling their writing deliberately: adapting tone and formality to the reader, borrowing techniques from books they have read, and using punctuation for precise effect. It is a teacher assessment based on real work, and it describes how your child writes now, not a prediction or a test score.

How many children achieve greater depth in writing?

In 2025, 13% of Year 6 pupils in England were assessed as working at greater depth in writing — around one in eight — a figure unchanged since 2022 and below the 20% recorded in 2019, before the pandemic. It is a genuinely demanding standard, so a child at the expected standard is doing exactly what the curriculum asks of them.

Is greater depth just longer writing or more ambitious vocabulary?

No. Nothing in the framework rewards length, and vocabulary only counts insofar as it is chosen to suit the writing's purpose, audience and level of formality. The greater-depth statements are about control and judgement: choosing the appropriate register, manipulating grammar and vocabulary deliberately, and using punctuation precisely where it enhances meaning. Moderation guidance consistently warns against equating greater depth with longer pieces, showcased adjectives, or punctuation inserted to tick a box.

How do children achieve greater depth in writing?

Mostly through reading and purposeful writing, sustained over time. The framework's first greater-depth statement asks children to draw independently on what they have read as models for their own writing, so a rich reading diet is the engine. Beyond that: regular writing for genuinely different audiences and levels of formality, explicit teaching of the differences between speech and writing, and opportunities to redraft and to talk about the choices they made. There is no shortcut — the standard is assessed across a collection of independent writing, so it has to show up as a habit, not a one-off performance.

Does greater depth exist in Year 2 as well as Year 6?

Yes. The key stage 1 writing framework uses the same three standards, including 'working at greater depth within the expected standard'. Since the 2023/24 academic year, however, end-of-KS1 teacher assessment has been optional rather than statutory, so whether your child receives a KS1 judgement depends on the school. At the end of key stage 2 (Year 6), teacher assessment of writing remains statutory, which is why most of the attention on greater depth centres on Year 6.

Writing assessment

Greater depth writing: what it means and how children get there

The exact “working at greater depth” statements from the KS2 writing framework, set against the expected standard — what the difference actually looks like on the page, and how teachers evidence it.

Last updated: July 2026

What is greater depth writing?

“Working at greater depth” is the highest of the three standards in the statutory teacher assessment framework for writing at the end of key stage 2. A child at greater depth writes effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, draws independently on their reading as a model, controls register and formality deliberately, and uses the full range of KS2 punctuation precisely. It is judged by the teacher across a collection of independent writing — there is no writing test.

The same three-standard structure — working towards, working at the expected standard, working at greater depth — also exists in the key stage 1 framework, though end-of-KS1 teacher assessment has been optional since the 2023/24 academic year. This page centres on Year 6, where the judgement is statutory and where most of the questions about greater depth arise.

The exact statements: greater depth vs the expected standard

The wording below is quoted verbatim from the Standards and Testing Agency's teacher assessment frameworks at the end of key stage 2 (in use from 2018/19 onwards). Each standard is a list of “pupil can” statements; here they are side by side, grouped by what they cover.

Aspect	Expected standard — the pupil can:	Greater depth — the pupil can:
Purpose, audience & form	“write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, selecting language that shows good awareness of the reader (e.g. the use of the first person in a diary; direct address in instructions and persuasive writing)”	“write 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 (e.g. literary language, characterisation, structure)”
Vocabulary, grammar & register	“select vocabulary and grammatical structures that reflect what the writing requires, doing this mostly appropriately (e.g. using contracted forms in dialogues in narrative; using passive verbs to affect how information is presented; using modal verbs to suggest degrees of possibility)”	“distinguish between the language of speech and writing and choose the appropriate register” and “exercise an assured and conscious control over levels of formality, particularly through manipulating grammar and vocabulary to achieve this”
Punctuation	“use the range of punctuation taught at key stage 2 mostly correctly (e.g. inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech)”	“use the range of punctuation taught at key stage 2 correctly (e.g. semi-colons, dashes, colons, hyphens) and, when necessary, use such punctuation precisely to enhance meaning and avoid ambiguity”
Spelling & handwriting	“spell correctly most words from the year 5 / year 6 spelling list, and use a dictionary to check the spelling of uncommon or more ambitious vocabulary”; “maintain legibility in joined handwriting when writing at speed”	“[There are no additional statements for spelling or handwriting]”

Two things to notice. First, greater depth sits on top of the expected standard rather than replacing it: the framework says teachers “should be confident that pupils have met the standards preceding the one at which they judge them to be working”, so the expected-standard statements about settings, dialogue, cohesion and tense still apply. Second, the qualifiers disappear. At the expected standard, punctuation is used “mostly correctly”; at greater depth it is simply “correctly” — and, when necessary, “precisely to enhance meaning and avoid ambiguity”. The step up is from doing things to controlling them.

What the difference looks like in practice

Each greater-depth statement describes something you can see in real writing. Taking them in turn:

Drawing on reading as a model

The first statement asks pupils to write “selecting the appropriate form and drawing independently on what they have read as models for their own writing (e.g. literary language, characterisation, structure)”. In practice this is a child whose narrative opening withholds information the way their class novel did, or whose persuasive letter borrows the rhythm of a speech they studied — without being told to. The key word is independently: the influence of reading shows up in the writing unprompted, not because a success criterion demanded a named technique.

Choosing the right register

The second statement — “distinguish between the language of speech and writing and choose the appropriate register” — is about knowing that contracted forms, colloquial expressions and long coordinated sentences belong in some writing and not in others. A greater-depth writer can let dialogue sound genuinely spoken while the narration around it stays written; their formal report doesn't drift into chattiness halfway down the page.

Assured, conscious control of formality

The third statement asks pupils to “exercise an assured and conscious control over levels of formality, particularly through manipulating grammar and vocabulary to achieve this”. “Conscious” is doing a lot of work: the choices are deliberate, and a child can often tell you why they made them. To illustrate the idea — these are constructions written for this page, not children's work — the same event might be rendered two ways:

To a friend: “You won't believe what happened at lunch — Mr Carter's chair gave way and he just sat there laughing his head off.”

For the school newsletter: “Lunchtime brought unexpected drama when a chair collapsed beneath Mr Carter, who — to the delight of Year 6 — took the incident in remarkably good humour.”

Same writer, same event; different grammar, vocabulary and distance from the reader. Manipulating that gap on purpose is what the statement is describing.

Punctuation used precisely, not abundantly

The final statement asks for the KS2 range — “e.g. semi-colons, dashes, colons, hyphens” — used “correctly” and, when necessary, “precisely to enhance meaning and avoid ambiguity”. The framework's own note adds that “this does not mean that every single punctuation mark must be evident”. A well-judged dash that lands a punchline is evidence; five semi-colons planted in one paragraph to be spotted are not.

And notably, there are no additional greater-depth statements for spelling or handwriting — the framework says so in terms. Greater depth is a judgement about composition and control, not about neatness or spelling beyond the expected standard.

What greater depth is not

Moderation-informed guidance — HFL Education's Year 6 GDS blogs are the best-known — keeps returning to the same clarifications, because the same misconceptions keep appearing in book scrutiny:

It is not longer writing. No statement in the framework mentions length. A short, controlled piece in exactly the right register is stronger evidence than pages of unshaped narrative.
It is not “more adjectives” or ambitious vocabulary for its own sake. The statements reward vocabulary manipulated to control formality and suit the reader — a plain word deliberately chosen can be better evidence than an impressive one parachuted in.
It is not a punctuation checklist. The framework is explicit that not every mark must be evident; moderators look for punctuation that earns its place by enhancing meaning, not for a completed inventory.
It is not flawless writing. The expected standard already tolerates occasional errors, and greater depth is about assured control, not perfection. Equally, a technically immaculate piece with no awareness of audience is not greater depth.
It is not a different curriculum. Greater depth draws on the same KS2 content — the difference is the independence and deliberateness with which a child deploys it.

The official exemplification: what “Frankie” shows

The STA published exemplification materials for KS2 English writing — real pupil collections annotated against the framework. Four named collections cover the three standards: “Dani” (working towards), “Morgan” and “Leigh” (expected standard), and “Frankie” (working at greater depth).

Frankie's collection is worth studying because it shows greater depth as a portfolio property: a range of forms and audiences, with annotations tying specific moments in the writing to specific statements — where reading shows through as a model, where the register shifts deliberately, where a semi-colon or dash does precise work. It also shows that greater-depth writing still contains human imperfection; what it doesn't contain is accident where control is required.

One caution the materials themselves make: they illustrate how the statements might be met, they don't dictate a method — and moderation guidance warns against treating Frankie as a template to imitate. Greater depth looks different in different children; that is rather the point.

How teachers evidence greater depth across a collection

The judgement is made once, at the end of the key stage, against a broad range of evidence. The framework's own rules shape what that collection needs to be:

Breadth of evidence. Judgements draw on “a broad range of evidence” from day-to-day work, including writing in subjects beyond English lessons — so the history write-up and the science explanation count.
All statements, with professional judgement. A pupil's writing “should meet all of the statements within the standard”, but teachers can use discretion so that “a particular weakness does not prevent an accurate judgement being made of a pupil's attainment overall”.
Independence. Writing used for the judgement “must be produced independently” — heavily scaffolded pieces, or work edited after directed feedback (including from AI), can't sit in the collection. We've set out the exact rules in AI marking and independent writing.
Range of purpose and audience. Because the greater-depth statements are about adapting to purpose, audience, form and formality, a collection of five narratives can't evidence them. Formal and informal, narrative and non-narrative, personal and impersonal — the range is the evidence.
Moderation-ready. A quarter of schools are externally moderated each year, so the collection needs to make the case to a colleague who doesn't know the child. See KS2 writing moderation and our practical guide to preparing for writing moderation.

For the framework itself — all three standards, statement by statement — see our companion page on the teacher assessment framework for writing.

How many children achieve it?

Fewer than many parents expect. In 2025, 13% of Year 6 pupils in England were assessed as working at greater depth in writing — around one in eight — while 72% met the expected standard (DfE, Key stage 2 attainment, academic year 2024/25, revised). The greater-depth figure has been unchanged since 2022, and remains below the 20% recorded in 2019, before the pandemic.

Worth holding onto when reading a report: greater depth is a genuinely demanding standard, and a child at the expected standard is doing exactly what the national curriculum asks of an eleven-year-old.

For parents: “greater depth” on your child's report

If your child's report says they are “working at greater depth” in writing (sometimes abbreviated to GDS), their teacher has judged — from real writing across the year, not a test — that they write above the expected standard for their age: adapting tone to the reader, borrowing techniques from books they've read, and punctuating for precise effect. If the report says “expected standard”, your child is meeting the curriculum's goals for the end of Year 6, which is exactly where they need to be.

Neither judgement is a grade on any single piece of work, and the most useful question at parents' evening isn't “how do we get to greater depth?” but “what does their writing show, and what's next?” More on how Howay keeps parents in that conversation on Howay for parents.

Where Howay fits

Evidencing greater depth means noticing criteria-level detail — register, control of formality, punctuation doing precise work — across every child's books, all year. That is exactly the layer Howay surfaces: a teacher photographs the handwritten page, and Howay returns a criteria-level view of what the writing shows against the frameworks teachers already use, with strengths and next steps rather than a number. The teacher edits everything before anyone else sees it.

It doesn't make the greater-depth judgement — that is statutory teacher assessment, and it stays with the teacher. What it does is make the evidence easier to see and articulate, piece by piece, long before moderation week. See Howay for teachers.

Common questions

What is greater depth writing in Year 6?: 'Working at greater depth' is the highest of the three standards in the statutory teacher assessment framework for writing at the end of key stage 2. A child at greater depth writes effectively for a range of purposes and audiences, draws independently on what they have read as models for their own writing, chooses the appropriate register, exercises an assured and conscious control over levels of formality, and uses the full range of KS2 punctuation correctly and, when necessary, precisely to enhance meaning. It is judged by the class teacher across a collection of independent writing, not by a test.
What does 'working at greater depth' mean on my child's report?: It means the teacher has judged, from your child's writing across the year, that they are working above the expected standard for the end of Year 6 — not just meeting the curriculum expectations but controlling their writing deliberately: adapting tone and formality to the reader, borrowing techniques from books they have read, and using punctuation for precise effect. It is a teacher assessment based on real work, and it describes how your child writes now, not a prediction or a test score.
How many children achieve greater depth in writing?: In 2025, 13% of Year 6 pupils in England were assessed as working at greater depth in writing — around one in eight — a figure unchanged since 2022 and below the 20% recorded in 2019, before the pandemic. It is a genuinely demanding standard, so a child at the expected standard is doing exactly what the curriculum asks of them.
Is greater depth just longer writing or more ambitious vocabulary?: No. Nothing in the framework rewards length, and vocabulary only counts insofar as it is chosen to suit the writing's purpose, audience and level of formality. The greater-depth statements are about control and judgement: choosing the appropriate register, manipulating grammar and vocabulary deliberately, and using punctuation precisely where it enhances meaning. Moderation guidance consistently warns against equating greater depth with longer pieces, showcased adjectives, or punctuation inserted to tick a box.
How do children achieve greater depth in writing?: Mostly through reading and purposeful writing, sustained over time. The framework's first greater-depth statement asks children to draw independently on what they have read as models for their own writing, so a rich reading diet is the engine. Beyond that: regular writing for genuinely different audiences and levels of formality, explicit teaching of the differences between speech and writing, and opportunities to redraft and to talk about the choices they made. There is no shortcut — the standard is assessed across a collection of independent writing, so it has to show up as a habit, not a one-off performance.
Does greater depth exist in Year 2 as well as Year 6?: Yes. The key stage 1 writing framework uses the same three standards, including 'working at greater depth within the expected standard'. Since the 2023/24 academic year, however, end-of-KS1 teacher assessment has been optional rather than statutory, so whether your child receives a KS1 judgement depends on the school. At the end of key stage 2 (Year 6), teacher assessment of writing remains statutory, which is why most of the attention on greater depth centres on Year 6.

Sources

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