Growing our Spellings!

About This Spelling Book

This spelling book is designed to help your child to revisit words from previous DfE spelling lists and words commonly needed in every day writing. Each set contains five words selected from an assessment. They are individual sets that your child needs to practise.

The Two-Week Practice Approach

Each spelling set should be practiced over a two-week period. This timeframe is essential for effective learning. When children meet the same words repeatedly across multiple days, they build automatic recognition and spelling skills. If your child can remember the words, please note that assessments sometimes show that words can be forgotten. Continue practising to boost their likelihood of retaining each spelling permanently. Studies demonstrate that distributing practice over time, instead of attempting to learn everything in one go, proves far more effective. Making mistakes with spellings during check-ups or in written work is completely normal; repetition helps to strengthen long-term memory

Daily Practice Tips

Keep practice short and positive: just two to three minutes daily is far more effective than longer, infrequent sessions.

• For phonics words: Help your child to sound out each part of the word, rather than just individual words (a-b-ou-t). Saying the parts out loud as they write will help.
• For tricky words: Encourage your child to spot the 'tricky part' that doesn't follow the rules and find ways to remember it. These words will have a T next to them.

Supporting Your Child

• Celebrate recognition of mistakes and effort, not just correct spellings.
• Encourage your child’s determination by helping them to see errors as a natural part of learning.  Ask supportive questions like, “Can you see where you went wrong?” “What spelling choices do you know for that grapheme?” This builds positive resilience.
• Keep practice fun and varied to maintain interest. For motivating ideas and further guidance, please visit: Spelling through fun active-ities! | Berkswich CE Primary School.
• Support your child in learning at their own pace with patience.

Retaining and applying learning

• Remember: consistent practice over the two-week period will give your child the best chance to master these spellings and to build their confidence as a speller.
• Encourage your child to spot their spellings in their reading books. Try writing the words accurately in a sentence. This is trickier than it sounds and will take practice.
• Try to go back to previous words every now and again. Repetition is the key!
• Thank you for supporting your child and working with school to help your child to flourish.

Spellings from these books have been taken from previous spelling books. Visit the pages for these books to access spelling-set handwriting, sentences for writing, tips on individual words and for general support. 

• Flying High Book | Berkswich CE Primary School (Reception)
• Forest Friends Book | Berkswich CE Primary School (Year One)
• Journeying Further Book | Berkswich CE Primary School (Year Two)
• Sea Adventures Book | Berkswich CE Primary School (Year Two)
• Digging Deeper Book | Berkswich CE Primary School (Additional KS1 rehearsal book)

Phonics Mat - Grow the Code!

Look along the top row to find out what sound is made in each block and the different ways in which it can be made. View the video on the right on the Little Wandle site to hear each read out and to see when your child will cover each section in school.