Spelling Lead: Mrs Sefton

Our Spelling Vision:

At Joseph Turner, we want our Spelling curriculum to inspire curiosity about words and their origins, while giving children practical strategies to spell accurately and confidently. Through a combination of phonics, morphology, and etymology, we aim for children to see patterns in language, make links across their learning and feel empowered to apply their knowledge in all areas of literacy. Our curriculum aims to nurture a love of words, helping children to notice, play with, and enjoy language both inside and outside the classroom.

What is taught and how?

Our spelling curriculum is linked directly to the National Curriculum. In the Early Years and Year 1, spelling is taught through Read Write Inc., helping children learn letter sounds, blending and segmenting for early spelling. From Years 2–6, we use Spelling Shed to teach a progressive programme that reinforces phonics, explores word origins and develops an understanding of morphemes, prefixes, and suffixes. Children learn high-frequency words, spelling patterns and rules that support their writing and reading.

All of our pupils will take part in a weekly 45-minute spelling lesson where they will learn new spelling rules and patterns, which include explicit teaching linked to phonics, morphology and etymology. Children are encouraged to apply their spelling knowledge in their writing, noticing patterns and making connections across subjects. Each week, the children have 10 spellings that they are required to practise ready for a spelling test the next lesson. Regular practice and gentle consolidation help all learners progress with confidence.

Impact - 

Children gain confidence and independence in spelling and writing, developing strategies to tackle unfamiliar words. As they notice patterns and explore word origins, they become more precise, creative, and enthusiastic writers. The structured, progressive approach ensures they build strong foundations year after year.

Alongside spelling rules, our pupils also learn the statutory common exception words for each key stage. Please find word lists below: