Spelling

Intent:

To be a successful writer we believe that children need to be able to spell accurately and quickly, knowing the relationship between sounds and letters.

At Parklee, all pupils are encouraged to:

• Develop dictionary skills to support their spelling.

• Learn their spelling challenge words as an integral part of their home learning

• Attempt words for themselves using a range of strategies – using phonics knowledge first.

• Use a variety of resources to help with spelling e.g. dictionaries, word banks, classroom environment, learning partners etc. and then apply these spellings accurately.

• Use Spelling Shed to build familiarity and automaticity with high frequency words and key spelling patterns.

Implementation

At Parklee Community Primary School, spelling skills are introduced through direct teaching and linked to our phonics programme, Bug Club Phonics. Children across school are taught the key sight vocabulary. In addition, the spelling rules from the National Curriculum appendices are also used to teach spelling across school. Children are taught strategies to help them to spell during the teaching of English and across the curriculum and in lessons focus upon particular spelling skills.

Spelling sessions in EYFS and Year 1 are taught and incorporated within Bug Club Phonic lessons. From Year 2 to Year 6, children are taught discretely either in one session per week or 3x 20 minute sessions across the week using Spelling Shed.

During spelling lessons, all children are provided with opportunities to build on the firm foundations of phonics in their early years of education. They continue to break down spellings into the smallest units of sound and cluster them into syllables, in order to read and write words efficiently. The whole-school scheme of work for spelling gives complete coverage of the National Curriculum including all statutory words and spelling rules.

Through adult-led discussion and investigation children become more secure in their knowledge of English orthography based on the frequency and position of the sounds within words. Children study words; word parts; their meanings and how this affects spelling. There are lessons throughout the scheme that consolidate children’s knowledge of common morphemes such as root formations, prefixes and suffixes.

Spelling sessions are followed up with weekly activities and online homework assignments to reinforce the spelling patterns which have been taught. Pupils take home weekly spellings to learn with a focus on a specific sound/spelling pattern. Informal weekly testing from Year 2 to Year 6, ensures that development areas are identified, and appropriate follow up sessions can be planned.

Impact

Our aim is that pupils leaving Parklee Community Primary School, have developed detailed knowledge, skills and confidence across the English curriculum and achieve well. In addition, pupils will have fostered a knowledge and understanding of spelling rules and patterns in their writing, as well as being prepared for the next stage of their education.