Instructions writing template for KS1 and KS2

Instructions have one test: can someone follow them without asking the writer a question? Everything in the plan serves that test. The goal tells the reader what they will achieve, the list means they can gather everything before starting, and the numbered steps put the actions in the only order that works. Tips and warnings answer the questions a reader would otherwise ask.

Do the task before writing about it. Children write much better instructions for something they have just made or done, because they remember the steps and the tricky bits. Planting seeds, making a sandwich, playing a playground game or building a paper aeroplane all work well. Many teachers follow pupils’ instructions word for word in front of the class, which shows very quickly what happens when a step is missing.

In KS1, instructions are short and practical. Year 2 children learn that a sentence can be a statement, a question, an exclamation or a command, and instructions are the natural home of commands: “Put the seeds on the cotton wool.” Number the steps, use first, next, then and finally, and draw a picture for each step. A simple list of what you need comes before the steps.

In Years 3 and 4, steps become more precise. Add amounts to the list, start each step with an imperative verb, and use adverbs to say how (carefully, gently, slowly). Time conjunctions such as when and after that link steps that depend on each other. A labelled diagram often explains more than a sentence, and a tip or warning shows the writer has thought about the reader.

In Years 5 and 6, instructions are a good place to practise punctuation that older pupils learn: a colon to introduce a list, and bullet points punctuated consistently. Children can add conditional clauses (“if the soil feels dry, water it”), troubleshooting (“if nothing grows after three days, …”) and an introduction explaining why the task is worth doing. Ask them to write for a particular reader, such as a Year 1 child, and to test the instructions on that reader.

Think about safety when choosing a task. Anything with heat, sharp tools or food should include a warning and an adult helper, as in the worked example. At home, recipes are the easiest instructions to practise: make something together, then write the recipe card for next time. In class, swap instructions between tables and follow them exactly.