How do we teach spelling at Beechcroft?

We use the Read, Write Inc. Phonics scheme as the basis for our teaching and learning of phonics across EYFS and KS1. This daily focus continues in Year 2 and KS2 for those pupils who have not passed the Y1 national phonics screening.

We use the Read, Write Inc. Spelling scheme as the basis for our teaching and learning of spelling.

Read Write Inc. Spelling is for children in Years 2 to 6 who can read accurately, with increasing speed. With 15 minutes of daily teaching, children develop confident spelling.

(Read, Write Inc.)

Although the teaching of phoneme-grapheme correspondence underpins this programme, it also develops children’s knowledge of word families, how suffixes impact upon root words, and provides mnemonics to remember the trickiest spellings.

The teaching revolves around instruction (with the help of online alien characters), partner and group practice, and competitive group challenges that help children commit new words to memory.

(Read, Write Inc.)

In KS2 the Read Write Inc. approach is alternated each week with a focus on words which do not follow spelling patterns, i.e common exception words. These are practised through quizzes, dictation and handwriting practise fortnightly.

How do we monitor and support progress in spelling at Beechcroft?

• Teachers offer feedback on spelling errors and encourage pupil to edit using the spelling steps approach every day.
• All pupils following the phonics scheme are assessed on an ongoing basis to track their progress in matching, manipulation, blending and segmenting. If they are not on track additional support is put in place.
• Three times a year a GAPS (grammar, punctuation and spelling) assessment or SAT is undertaken by all pupils (Years 1-6) followed by a QLA (question level analysis) to measure progress in this area and inform next steps of teaching and learning.
• Prior to commencing, and upon completion of the Read, Write inc spelling scheme, each year pupils undertake a short spelling test to monitor their individual progress.
• Similarly, an assessment of pupils’ spelling of common exception words is undertaken at the beginning and end of each year in KS2.