The School's teaching of spelling works on providing the children with strategies, knowledge and skills the children need to learn spelling in school, at home and as they progress through their education.

The focus of the spelling programme is on the teaching of spelling patterns and rules but does also including statutory words, common exceptions and personal spellings. The requirements of the National Curriculum is organised into strands and then broken down into termly overviews. The overall pathway can be found below while termly overviews are used by the teachers with half termly plans. Lessons follow a model of five spelling sessions across two weeks, except in Year 2 where sessions are daily. Each lesson is approximately 10 to15 minutes long, but lesson plans are flexible so that the teaching can reflect the extra time needed on a teaching point if required.

Supporting resources for a key part of the teaching of spelling and teachers use pictures, word lists, flashcards, classroom displays, and more. Also including games and quizzes.

When teaching a sequence for spelling, whereby each new concept is taught, practised and then applied and assessed is followed. Frequently there is also a ‘Revise’ session before the teaching session. A typical teaching sequence is as follows:

Within the lessons, the particular focus is identified, followed by suggested teaching strategies. By integrating activities for handwriting, the benefit of making a spelling activity kinaesthetic is

secured. The children acquire the physical memory of the spelling pattern as well as the visual cues. Integral to the process is the scope to encourage pupils to learn spellings and information on how they can do this at home can be found by following the link below:

Children’s learning is assessed throughout the year. The ‘Apply’ part of the sequence regularly includes assessment activities to identify if pupils have learnt the key concept taught. These activities include:

• Testing – by teacher and peers
• Dictation
• Explaining
• Independent application in writing
• Frequent learning and testing of statutory and personal words

However the ultimate test is the application of these words into their day to day writing!