Why is spelling valued at St. Luke’s?

Following the Government’s introduction of the new National Curriculum in September 2014, spelling expectations for each year group have become more specific and detailed. With  high expectations and specific emphasis on spellings, at St. Luke’s we have a focused weekly spelling workshop as well as daily practise of weekly spellings.  We use a range of fun, investigative and interactive methods to teach new spelling patterns and rules.

'Words are the building blocks of language. Word knowledge is the key predictor of future academic success'
Primary Writing Project 2014.

Spelling is a key part of becoming a successful writer.  It:

• helps children to write more fluently, dedicating more of their energies towards creative writing (rather than the mechanical process of spelling);
• helps children to attempt to spell unfamiliar words, enriching their vocabulary;
• gives children opportunities to investigate and understand the true meaning of words;
• develops confident writers and readers.

When teaching spelling, we follow the Spelling Shed Scheme across the school. Below is a whole school spelling overview and the homework spelling booklets that your child will bring home to practise their spellings at home.