At Sampford Peverell Church of England Primary School, we believe that strong spelling underpins confident, high-quality writing. We teach spelling through a clear and structured approach that builds progressively from early phonics through to more complex spelling patterns and rules.

Children begin by developing a secure understanding of sounds through our phonics teaching. They apply this knowledge to spell words using strategies such as ‘Fred Fingers’, helping them to segment words and represent the sounds they hear. As children progress, they move on to a more structured programme of spelling teaching, where they learn spelling patterns, rules and exceptions in a systematic and progressive way.

Alongside this, we expect children to learn our Rainbow Spellings, which are a carefully selected set of key words matched to each stage of learning. These are organised into colour-coded cards:

• White – Reception
• Yellow – Year 1
• Green – Year 2
• Purple – Years 3 and 4
• Blue – Years 5 and 6

These words support children in developing fluency and accuracy in their everyday writing and are revisited regularly to ensure they are securely remembered.

Across the school, we use Spelling Shed to support the teaching and learning of spelling. This programme is aligned with the National Curriculum and provides a carefully sequenced progression of spelling patterns. Teachers use it to deliver clear teaching, provide regular opportunities for practice, and revisit prior learning so that knowledge becomes embedded over time.

Spelling is taught both discretely and within writing lessons, enabling pupils to apply what they have learned accurately and independently across the curriculum.

We ask parents to support their child in learning our Rainbow Spellings by helping them to practise regularly and move on to the next card when words can be spelt accurately and confidently.

We regularly assessed Rainbow Spellings to ensure that spellings are securely remembered over time. Sometimes, children may move through cards too quickly at home and then find they are unable to recall words when tested in school. When this happens, we will send home the appropriate card based on their most recent assessment so that learning is secure before moving on.

All children can use Spelling Shed to practise their Rainbow Spellings through a range of engaging games. In addition, some children will also have a weekly assignment set by their teacher, based on the spelling patterns and rules they have been learning in class. Please ensure that your child completes any assignments that are set.

Regular, careful practice at home—focusing on accuracy rather than speed—will help your child develop confidence and long-term success in spelling.