Phonics and Spelling

Implementation

EYFS and Year 1 follow the Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) phonics programme.  Phonics is taught daily. 

Our spelling curriculum in KS2 builds on from the ELS programme taught in EYFS and year 1.  ELS is continued in year 2 for those requiring phonics support. Our spelling teaching develops the children’s understanding of common spelling rules and common exception words and follows the Twinkl teaching sequence in line with the National Curriculum.  Children in KS2 who are working on phonics phases are given spelling lists based on the sounds they are focusing on. 

Staff supplement the words from the Twinkl sequence with ‘gaps’ that have been identified through previous summative assessments and common errors identified through daily marking of written work.  A sample of three misspelt spellings are corrected in written work during marking and corrected by the child either independently (KS2) or with adults support (KS1).  Common misconceptions identified will be the subject of self-correction in written work.

Support is provided in the classroom through the use of personal dictionaries from Y2 onwards.  These contain common words and new words that the children have ‘collected’, word banks for independent writing, word displays on walls.  Spellings are praised and errors addressed through the marking of written work.

Spelling is taught three times a week in KS2

Impact:

The impact of the spelling teaching is monitored through tests and within the children’s written work.

• Spellings are tested half termly and will sample the range of spelling rules and strategies taught throughout the half term.
• Spelling ages are tested twice yearly using the SPAR tests.  These are completed autumn and summer assessment points.
• GAPS tests completed termly and contain a spelling tests element.