Spelling

"Let your conversations be full of grace, seasoned with salt."

Colossians 4:6

At Our Lady and St Joseph Catholic Primary School, we believe that accurate spelling is an essential part of becoming a confident writer. Secure spelling enables children to communicate their ideas clearly, write with increasing fluency and focus on the composition of their work rather than the mechanics of recording it.

We recognise that spelling is a developmental process. Children are not expected to simply memorise lists of words; instead, they are taught to understand how the English spelling system works. Through carefully sequenced teaching, regular retrieval practice and meaningful application, pupils develop the knowledge and strategies needed to become independent, accurate and confident spellers.

Our Spelling Journey

At Our Lady and St Joseph Catholic Primary School, we believe that accurate spelling is an essential part of becoming a confident writer. Secure spelling enables children to communicate their ideas clearly, write with increasing fluency and focus on the composition of their writing rather than the mechanics of recording it.

Spelling is a developmental process that begins long before children are expected to write independently. It develops through a carefully sequenced journey where children learn to hear sounds, recognise letter patterns, understand how words are constructed and apply this knowledge confidently in their writing.

Early Spelling Development: ALS Phonics

From Nursery to the end of Key Stage 1, children develop their spelling knowledge through our ALS Phonics programme. ALS provides a systematic approach to teaching children how sounds (phonemes) link to letters and letter groups (graphemes), giving them the knowledge they need to both read and spell words accurately.

Throughout the programme, children gradually learn to:

• hear and distinguish individual sounds within words;
• blend sounds to read unfamiliar words;
• segment spoken words into individual phonemes for spelling;
• match phonemes to the correct graphemes;
• recognise and spell common exception words;
• develop increasing automaticity when spelling familiar vocabulary.

Rather than learning spellings in isolation, children revisit and apply previously taught sounds every day so that knowledge becomes secure and automatic.

ALS lessons follow a consistent structure which allows children to build confidence and fluency over time. Each lesson includes opportunities to:

• Review and Recap previously taught learning;
• Hear and identify new sounds;
• Read words containing the new grapheme;
• Write words using the new spelling pattern; and
• Apply new learning through reading and writing activities.

This carefully structured approach ensures that reading and spelling develop together, allowing children to build strong foundations for successful writing.

Example of Spelling Learning in ALS Phonics

Our Whole-School Spelling Curriculum

Once children have secured the foundations of spelling through ALS Phonics, they move onto our whole-school spelling curriculum, delivered through the Twinkl PlanIt Spelling Scheme.

The scheme has been carefully designed to meet the National Curriculum spelling objectives while ensuring learning is progressive, cumulative and purposeful. Rather than memorising isolated weekly spelling lists, children investigate how the English spelling system works so they can apply their knowledge confidently in all areas of writing.

Each year builds upon prior learning, enabling pupils to deepen their understanding of spelling through increasingly sophisticated concepts. Children explore:

• spelling patterns and conventions;
• common exception words;
• prefixes and suffixes;
• word families;
• homophones and near homophones;
• morphology (how words are constructed);
• orthography (spelling patterns); and
• etymology (the origins of words).

By Upper Key Stage Two, pupils are investigating ambitious vocabulary, word origins, synonyms, antonyms and the relationships between words, enabling them to make increasingly accurate spelling choices independently.

How Learning is Structured

Every spelling unit follows a consistent sequence that enables children to build, revisit and apply their learning over time.

Children will typically:

• explore a new spelling pattern or rule;
• investigate examples and identify patterns;
• discuss why words are spelled in particular ways;
• practise through engaging activities and games;
• revisit previous learning through retrieval practice;
• apply new spellings within sentences and extended writing; and
• review and assess their understanding before moving on.

Regular review weeks are built into the curriculum to ensure previously taught knowledge is revisited and retained, helping spelling become automatic rather than short-term memorisation.

Example of a Year 3 Spelling Curriculum Overview

Understanding How English Words Work

As children progress through the school, they develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the English spelling system. Rather than simply remembering spellings, pupils learn why words are spelt the way they are.

Developing Independent Spellers

At OLSJ, we want children to become independent problem-solvers rather than relying solely on memory. Throughout spelling lessons, pupils are encouraged to investigate words, identify patterns and apply strategies when encountering unfamiliar vocabulary.

Rather than asking children to simply remember spellings, we teach them how successful spellers think. Over time, pupils draw upon their knowledge of phonics, spelling patterns, morphology and etymology to tackle unfamiliar words with increasing confidence.

Children are encouraged to ask themselves questions such as:

• Can I hear each sound clearly?
• Is there a spelling pattern I already know?
• Can I identify the root word?
• Has a prefix or suffix been added?
• Does this word belong to a word family?
• Does the spelling look right?

By developing these habits, pupils become increasingly confident in applying spelling knowledge independently across all areas of the curriculum.

Practising and Applying Spelling

Learning to spell involves much more than completing weekly tests. Children regularly practise and apply their spelling knowledge in engaging and purposeful ways that promote long-term retention.

Across the school, pupils use a wide range of strategies, including:

• Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check
• spelling investigations
• word sorting and classification
• word-building activities
• crosswords and word games
• dictation
• retrieval quizzes
• applying spellings within independent writing

These varied opportunities encourage children to think deeply about words, recognise patterns and transfer their spelling knowledge into everyday writing across the curriculum.

Retrieval and Assessment

Regular retrieval practice is an important feature of our spelling curriculum.

Previously taught spelling patterns are revisited frequently to strengthen long-term memory and ensure pupils retain and apply their learning over time.

Teachers assess spelling through:

• weekly spelling lessons;
• independent writing across the curriculum;
• dictation activities;
• retrieval practice; and
• ongoing teacher assessment.

Assessment focuses not only on whether children can remember spellings, but also on whether they can apply their knowledge accurately within purposeful writing.

Spelling at Home

Parents play an important role in supporting spelling development.

Each week, children receive spelling homework that reflects the learning taking place in school. These activities provide opportunities to practise new spelling patterns, revisit previous learning and develop automatic recall.

Reading at home also plays a vital role in spelling development. The more children encounter words in meaningful contexts, the more secure their understanding of spelling patterns, vocabulary and language becomes.

By working together, we help every child become a confident, accurate and independent speller who is well prepared for the next stage of their education.