{"id":5313,"date":"2023-05-31T12:45:55","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T11:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/?p=5313"},"modified":"2024-07-26T10:21:11","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T09:21:11","slug":"pros-and-cons-of-pen-licence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/pens\/pros-and-cons-of-pen-licence\/","title":{"rendered":"The pros and cons of the pen licence"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_5315\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5315\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/school-child-writing-pen-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A school child sat at a desk, writing with a pen.\" width=\"650\" height=\"434\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5315\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A school child writing with a pen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/381344\/Master_final_national_curriculum_28_Nov.pdf\">National Curriculum<\/a> states that pupils should leave primary school with \u201cfluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>To achieve the curriculum\u2019s handwriting goal by the end of Key Stage 2, many teachers use pen licences to motivate pupils to work harder on their penmanship.<\/p>\n<p>While the promise of a pen licence works well for some pupils, it doesn\u2019t work for others.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s explore what a pen licence is, why teachers use them, and the pros and cons of their use in school.<\/p>\n<h2>What is a pen licence?<\/h2>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/pens\/\">pen<\/a> licence certificate incentivises KS2 pupils in primary school to develop neat, well-formed and quick handwriting.<\/p>\n<p>The certificate is commonly awarded to pupils when they demonstrate a set level of handwriting proficiency, and the assessment usually takes place over a few weeks rather than on one occasion.<\/p>\n<p>Pupils need to demonstrate set skills to earn a pen licence. The exact skills vary between schools and teachers but often include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>gripping the pencil correctly<\/li>\n<li>writing on the line<\/li>\n<li>forming letters correctly<\/li>\n<li>keeping letters the same size<\/li>\n<li>beginning each letter in the correct place<\/li>\n<li>joining letters correctly<\/li>\n<li>using the correct spacing between words<\/li>\n<li>ensuring ascending and descending strokes are the correct length<\/li>\n<li>writing in a way that others can read.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Upon receiving the certificate, pupils are granted the privilege of using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/school-pens\/\">school pen<\/a> instead of a pencil for classwork and homework.<\/p>\n<p>In many circumstances, the whole class doesn\u2019t receive its pen licence on the same day.<\/p>\n<p>The licence is usually delivered with a warning that it can be revoked at any time if a pupil\u2019s handwriting deteriorates.<\/p>\n<h2>Why are pen licences used in primary schools?<\/h2>\n<p>Pen licences aren\u2019t compulsory, but many teachers use them to encourage pupils to reach a set level of penmanship.<\/p>\n<h2>The pros of a pen licence<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-5317\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/school-boy-homework-pen-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A boy using a fountain pen to complete his school homework.\" width=\"650\" height=\"434\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Like all educational methods, there are pros and cons to using pen licences in primary schools.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s explore the advantages first.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence is motivational<\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s no denying that children love a challenge and will often practice their handwriting more with the promise of a certificate and permission to write in pen.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence can be a source of pride<\/h3>\n<p>Pupils who succeed in gaining a pen licence feel pride when receiving their certificate and when writing with a pen in class.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence can boost self-confidence<\/h3>\n<p>Receiving a pen licence can be a significant moment for a primary school pupil, indicating that their hard work and dedication have paid off.<\/p>\n<p>The achievement can boost self-confidence and inspire pupils to strive for excellence in other areas of their education.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence promotes responsibility<\/h3>\n<p>Some schools provide a pen with their licence while others rely on parents to provide one.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, pupils will want to take care of their new writing tool, and it\u2019s an opportunity to learn about responsibility and accountability.<\/p>\n<h2>The cons of a pen licence<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-5318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/school-girl-sharpening-pencil-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A school girl stood sharpening a pencil.\" width=\"650\" height=\"434\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s shine a spotlight on the drawbacks of the pen licence.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence can result in low self-esteem<\/h3>\n<p>Pupils who take longer to achieve the required handwriting proficiency can lack confidence as they\u2019ll see each of their classmates celebrated and promoted to pen use before them.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence creates a hierarchy<\/h3>\n<p>Pen licences create a hierarchy in the classroom, with those who achieve their licences first being perceived as more skilled or advanced than those who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>The hierarchy can lead to feelings of resentment and unnecessary divisions between pupils.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence is discriminatory<\/h3>\n<p>The pen licence teaching method discriminates against disabled pupils and those with dyspraxia and impaired motor skills due to other medical conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Some pupils will never achieve their pen licence, and others will struggle to before they leave primary school.<\/p>\n<p>While these pupils may be skilled in other areas, focusing on handwriting through a pen licence can dent confidence and highlight differences between pupils \u2014 again, causing division.<\/p>\n<h3>A pen licence focuses heavily on handwriting<\/h3>\n<p>With the focus on handwriting the pen licence can overshadow the importance of the writing itself.<\/p>\n<p>With a strong focus on neat handwriting, the importance of spelling, punctuation, grammar, and the content of what is written can be missed.<\/p>\n<h2>How teachers can avoid using pen licences<\/h2>\n<p>Teachers not wishing to use pen licences in their classroom can avoid them by working on handwriting skills with the whole class and promoting every pupil to pen use simultaneously.<\/p>\n<p>Offer pupils the opportunity to use pen or pencil as they please, enabling them to select the best tool.<\/p>\n<p>Given a choice, pupils who prefer to write in pencil won\u2019t stand out like they would if they hadn\u2019t yet achieved a pen licence.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Whether you support pen licences or not, you may be keen to learn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/handwriting\/how-to-help-your-child-improve-their-handwriting\/\">how to help your child improve their handwriting<\/a>, and you can find out all you need to know on our blog. If your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/handwriting\/handwriting-tips-for-left-handed-children\/\">child is left-handed<\/a>, we\u2019ve got plenty of handwriting tips for them to excel with their penmanship, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The National Curriculum states that pupils should leave primary school with \u201cfluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting\u201d. To achieve the curriculum\u2019s handwriting goal by the &#8230; <a title=\"The pros and cons of the pen licence\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/pens\/pros-and-cons-of-pen-licence\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about The pros and cons of the pen licence\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5315,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-back-to-school","category-pens","infinite-scroll-item","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","resize-featured-image"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The pros and cons of the pen licence - The Pen Company Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pen licences are common in UK primary schools, but are they successful? 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