Our Intent

At Binley Woods Primary School, we believe that by the end of KS2, children should have a solid understanding of the sound and spelling system and use this to read and spell accurately and by doing so, communicate creatively and effectively.

An in-depth knowledge of our graphic and phonetic alphabet and a wide-range of spelling patterns, rules and concepts alongside exposure to powerful vocabulary, enables them to access texts that are inspiring and communicate their skills in a literary context.

Children are nurtured to take responsibility and develop curiosity and learning resilience in their own spelling journey with expectations for them to be in control of their own personal spelling lists by the end of KS2.

With the pressures of an increasing digital world, it can be easy to diminish the importance of spelling and it is our job to sell the many facets of good English spelling to children so that they carry its importance within a love of learning right into adulthood.

Implementation

At Binley Woods Primary School, from when the children are ready in Year 2, we follow the No Nonsense Spelling Scheme. Distinct spelling lessons will be taught at least 3 times a week for a minimum of 15 minutes a session. Spelling will also be addressed in all subjects where children will be expected to apply the words they have learned and work on their personal spelling errors. Children will not only progress through their own year group curriculum, but previous spelling patterns will be revised frequently and teacher, peer and self-assessment will support children to unlearn and previously learned spelling errors and work of high frequency 'tricky words' they find challenging. 

Children will frequently use a spelling jotter - not just for spelling lessons but also to 'have-a-go' at words they are unsure of. Our children will also have a smaller, yellow spelling and vocabulary word book to enable them to collect words and practise them at home. This will also be supplemented with spellingframe.co.uk which will ensure a love of learning of spellings and to aid learning at home through a variety of games and activities.

The attached document gives an overview of the range of pedagogies used within No Nonsense and our approach to the teaching of different abilities within the classroom. Children are encouraged to develop their own preferred pedagogies as they get older and develop independent learning strategies. Teachers will model the best learning strategies for the types of words they are learning. 

Impact

At our school, spelling is constantly assessed through careful formative assessment and teachers looking through children's books. Spelling jotters and Spelling/Vocabulary books are heavily marked to ensure children do not pick up the wrong spellings. Teachers use all books to look for particular patterns that individuals, groups of children and the whole class are struggling with so they can adjust their teaching appropriately. 

Teachers train children to check and maintain their own personal word lists and where needed help the children to find and correct their own personal words. For children that may need additional support, spellings are assessed daily through book checks, teacher written personal word lists and frequent interventions. 

Frequent quizzing, dictation and peer support aids children to test their own knowledge of their spelling learning without rigid weekly tests

Spelling is also assessed summatively in end of term assessments using a SATs/NFER spelling assessment test.