English // Area
Spelling & Word Study
Age coverage
Ages 4 to 14
Starts at age 4 // 2 topics
Starting at age 4
- Segmenting words into sounds
Segment spoken words into phonemes and spell CVC and simple phonetically regular words by writing a letter or letters for each sound
Ages 4 to 7Method - Phonics Vocabulary
Know and use the vocabulary of phonics and word structure — phoneme, grapheme, GPC (grapheme-phoneme correspondence), blend, segment, digraph, CVC, vowel…
Ages 4 to 7Language
Starts at age 5 // 4 topics
Starting at age 5
Your child is learning to spell by connecting sounds to letters — building simple words, adding common endings like -ing and -ed, and memorising important words that don't follow regular spelling patterns.
- Spelling Verb Endings
Spell words with common suffixes (-s/-es for plurals and third person verbs, -ing, -ed, -er, -est) where no change to the root word is needed
Ages 5 to 6Method - The Prefix un-
Spell words using the prefix un- to change meaning; understand that un- creates opposites or reverses actions
Ages 5 to 6Method - Tricky words
Spell common exception words from memory that do not follow regular phonic patterns, including the days of the week
Ages 5 to 8Method - Spelling from Dictation
Write simple sentences from memory when dictated by the teacher, applying taught GPCs, spelling rules, and common exception words
Ages 5 to 8Method
Starts at age 6 // 4 topics
Starting at age 6
Your child is learning more advanced spelling rules, including how to add suffixes that change the root word, use apostrophes correctly in contractions and possessives, and spell words with alternative letter patterns for familiar sounds.
- Apostrophes for possession
Use the possessive apostrophe with singular nouns to show ownership (e.g., the girl's book, the dog's bone)
Ages 6 to 8Method - Spelling Contracted Forms
Spell contracted forms correctly by placing the apostrophe where letters are omitted (can't, didn't, I'll, it's, etc.)
Ages 6 to 7Method - Alternative Spellings for Sounds
Spell words using alternative grapheme choices for known phonemes, learning new spellings for sounds already encountered (e.g., /ɔ:/ as 'a' before ll, /ʌ/ as…
Ages 6 to 9Method - Suffixes
Apply suffix spelling rules that require changes to the root word: dropping final -e before vowel suffixes, changing -y to -i, doubling final consonants in…
Ages 6 to 7Method
Starts at age 7 // 6 topics
Starting at age 7
Your child is learning important spelling rules — using apostrophes correctly for possession, distinguishing between words that sound the same, and understanding how prefixes and suffixes work.
- Suffixes (age 7+)
Spell words using productive suffixes (-ation, -ly, -ous) and less common sound-spelling correspondences (/ɪ/ as y, /ʌ/ as ou, endings sounding like /ʒə/…
Ages 7 to 9Method - Spelling Word Lists (age 7+)
Spell words from the statutory word list for Years 3 and 4, including commonly misspelt words that do not follow regular patterns
Ages 7 to 9Method - Apostrophes for possession (age 7+)
Use the possessive apostrophe accurately with both regular and irregular plural nouns (e.g., the girls' bags, the children's toys), distinguishing singular from…
Ages 7 to 10Method - Homophones
Distinguish and correctly spell common homophones and near-homophones encountered at Y3-4 level (e.g., accept/except, affect/effect, brake/break, grate/great)…
Ages 7 to 9Method - Prefixes (age 7+)
Spell words with a range of prefixes (dis-, mis-, un-, re-, pre-, anti-, auto-, super-) understanding how each prefix modifies the root word's meaning without…
Ages 7 to 10Method - Using a Dictionary to Check Spellings
Use the first two or three letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary; consult reference materials including beginning dictionaries to verify and…
Ages 7 to 11Method
Starts at age 8 // 1 topic
Starting at age 8
Your child is learning to spell words that come from other languages, understanding how Greek, French, and Latin origins affect the way English words are written.
- Spellings from Greek, French and Latin
Spell words with etymological letter patterns from Greek (ch = /k/), French (ch = /ʃ/, -gue, -que), and Latin (sc = /s/) origins
Ages 8 to 10Method
Starts at age 9 // 6 topics
Starting at age 9
Your child is tackling challenging spelling patterns — distinguishing between confusing word pairs, understanding Latin and French word endings, and mastering silent letters and complex suffixes.
- Spelling Word Lists (age 9+)
Spell words from the statutory word list for Years 5 and 6, including words with irregular or uncommon spelling patterns that must be learned individually
Ages 9 to 10Method - Homophones (age 9+)
Distinguish and correctly spell homophones and commonly confused words at Y5-6 level (e.g., affect/effect, practice/practise, advice/advise…
Ages 9 to 10Method - Advanced Spelling Conventions
Spell words using assorted Y5-6 conventions: doubling after -fer when the stress remains (referring but reference), using hyphens to join prefixes to root words…
Ages 9 to 10Method - Silent Letters in Words
Spell words containing silent letters that are remnants of earlier pronunciation or etymology, recognising common silent-letter patterns and using word origins…
Ages 9 to 10Method - Spelling -able & -ible
Spell words ending in -able/-ible and the corresponding adverb forms -ably/-ibly, applying patterns to determine which suffix to use based on the root word
Ages 9 to 10Method - Suffixes (age 9+)
Spell words with Latin and French suffix patterns: endings sounding like /ʃəs/ spelt -cious or -tious (e.g., precious, cautious), /ʃəl/ spelt -cial or -tial…
Ages 9 to 10Method
Starts at age 11 // 1 topic
Starting at age 11
- Applying Spelling Rules to Complex Words
Spell correctly and consistently, applying the spelling patterns and rules from KS1-2 to increasingly complex vocabulary encountered in KS3 reading and…
Ages 11 to 14Method