spelling

Spelling at Barnfields

At Barnfields Primary School, we recognise that spelling is a cornerstone of literacy, underpinning reading, writing and effective communication across the curriculum. Our spelling curriculum is designed to ensure pupils become confident, accurate, and reflective spellers, capable of applying their knowledge independently and across a range of contexts.

Children in Reception and Year 1 learn to spell as part of their daily phonics lessons using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds, where they apply the sounds they have been taught. Children are encouraged to apply their phonic knowledge when writing independently, using the ‘Grow the Code’ mat to support them when necessary. In addition, Year 1 uses some units from Spelling Shed to ensure that all National Curriculum objectives are met.

In Year 2, children continue to develop strong phonemic strategies to spelling by embedding Phase 5 knowledge and following the ‘Bridge to Spelling’ programme as set out by Little Wandle Letters and Sounds. From Autumn Term 2, children progress on to the Spelling Shed programme, where they continue to build and extend a range of effective spelling strategies.

From Year 3, all children are taught through the Spelling Shed programme. Each lesson focuses on a specific spelling objective and is designed to teach children using a multi-layered approach.

This includes:

• Phonological knowledge (sounds in words)

• Morphological knowledge (how meaning influences spelling)

• Etymological knowledge (word origins)

• Orthographic knowledge (spelling patterns)

Children are taught effective spelling strategies rather than simply memorising words. Repeated practice, short-term retrieval and small-step success are key in our lessons and support children in building confidence and accuracy in spelling. For use at school and at home, children have access to the Spelling Shed online platform where they can consolidate learning using the interactive games, allowing them to practise in a fun, motivating way.

We assess spellings at the start of the weekly spelling lesson. Children are asked to apply their previous learning through dictated sentences, demonstrating their understanding of spelling patterns and rules. This allows teachers to assess how well children can recall and apply their spelling knowledge in context, reinforcing their learning and identifying areas for further support.

Spelling is embedded within everyday classroom practice and children are encouraged to use a range of strategies and prompts displayed around the classroom to support them. When marking, teachers select spellings for children to correct where appropriate.