Spelling

At Idle CE Primary School, we believe that secure spelling knowledge is essential in enabling children to become confident and successful writers. Our approach combines the systematic teaching of spelling patterns and rules with the development of automatic recall of high-frequency and statutory curriculum vocabulary.

Spelling Bee

From Year 1 to Year 6, pupils participate in our Spelling Bee programme, which is built around the statutory spelling words for each year group.

At the start of the programme, pupils complete a baseline assessment. When a pupil makes two errors within a honeycomb of words, this becomes their personalised starting point. Children then work through the programme, learning and securing spellings before progressing to the next set of words.

We place great importance on home learning and expect pupils to practise and learn their allocated spellings regularly. Through this approach, children build automaticity, confidence and accuracy in their everyday writing.

Spelling Lessons

Alongside the Spelling Bee programme, we use Jane Considine's Spelling Programme to explicitly teach spelling knowledge and strategies.

Through weekly spelling lessons, pupils develop an understanding of:

Spelling rules and conventions.
Phonics and spelling patterns.
Morphology, including prefixes, suffixes and root words.
Word origins and etymology.
Strategies for applying spelling knowledge in independent writing.
Relationships between words and word families.

This deeper understanding helps children recognise patterns within the English language and apply their spelling knowledge across the curriculum.

We believe spelling should not be taught in isolation. Pupils are encouraged to apply newly learned spellings, patterns and vocabulary within their writing across all subjects. Regular opportunities for retrieval, practice and application help pupils transfer spelling knowledge from discrete lessons into independent writing.

The Impact of Spelling at Idle

By the time pupils leave Idle CE Primary School, they have developed a secure understanding of age-related spelling expectations and a growing understanding of how words are constructed. They are able to draw upon their spelling knowledge confidently when writing, allowing them to focus increasingly on composition, creativity and communication.