Teach pupils in KS1 to read, analyse and write their own fairy tales using this resource pack. The pack is centred on two WAGOLL model texts, ‘The Princess and the Pea’ and ‘Cinderella’.
Pupils will read and annotate the models to learn how to structure a story, select descriptive language and include key fairy tale features. They will then write their own versions, either retelling the story closely or adapting elements, such as what the princess felt in the bed or the objects used to create Cinderella’s carriage.
What the pack contains
Model texts – The Princess and the Pea and Cinderella
These WAGOLLs demonstrate all the features of classic fairy tales: they begin with “Once upon a time”, include good and evil characters, feature royalty and magic and end happily. Pupils can identify the use of past tense, adjectives to create expanded noun phrases and question marks to show sentence function.
Fairy tale writing sheet
This PDF provides success criteria and examples of adjectives for expanded noun phrases and question marks. Pupils can use these features to plan and improve their own writing.
Fairy tale image cards
A set of cards supports pupils to orally retell the stories. They can sequence events and plan their own versions before writing.
Fairy tale planning sheet
This worksheet helps pupils organise their stories, deciding on characters, events and key magical elements.
Writing paper
The themed PDF sheet includes blank pages for final drafts, allowing pupils to present their work neatly and creatively.
How to use the resources in class
You can use this pack in English lessons to develop narrative writing or alongside topic work on traditional tales.
Year 1 pupils focus on saying sentences aloud, writing them down and sequencing them into short narratives while being introduced to question marks.
Year 2 pupils plan their writing, select adjectives to create expanded noun phrases and learn how sentence patterns indicate statements, questions, exclamations or commands.
By the end, pupils will produce structured and imaginative fairy tales that reflect the style, structure and features of the WAGOLLs.