I think the debate about fronted adverbials and all they represent is really useful. If we don’t challenge, interrogate, and even disagree, nothing ever changes. I can totally see that this kind of forced grammatical analysis, especially at KS2, is detrimental to creativity. 1/

I can also see that decisions as to what to focus on seem to have been made arbitrarily. However, my concern is that by demonising the ‘fronted adverbial’, we are, by association, demonising the teaching of grammar altogether. And this would be a shame. 2/

I think it is useful to study grammar. Not for writing (necessarily), but for knowing how language and communication actually works. I am one of lots of people from my generation who wish they had had a better understanding of grammar. 3/

Clearly, right now, the balance is wrong. And children are having the fun and creativity sucked out of language at an age when they should be enjoying what it can do. 4/

But this is not the fault of grammar. Grammar is still fascinating and useful. It is the fault of policy makers who don’t know how language works. Chuck out the policy makers and their friends before chucking out the fronted adverbial and its friends. 5/

And then try again to find the right balance between creativity, and explicit knowledge about language. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. /6