No Nonsense Spelling:

The No Nonsense Spelling Programme offers an accessible, clear progression in the teaching of spelling. The focus of the programme is on the comprehensive teaching of spelling, which embraces knowledge of spelling conventions – patterns and rules; but integral to the teaching is the opportunity to promote the learning of spellings, including statutory words, common exceptions and personal spellings.

How can school and families support the children with their spelling?

At home, please practise your spellings for five to ten minutes every night - try to make this fun by playing games, using art materials, getting messy, setting up competitions with each other or by using the internet! A document has been put together outlining 20 ideas for learning and practising spelling at home - see below.

At school, children will be practising their spelling regularly in a variety of different ways as we follow the No Nonsense Spelling scheme. They will be encouraged to be independently checking and improving their own spelling and partners will be able to help each other.

I will provide word lists (in spelling books or on this page) to focus on at home. The spelling words for the year have been published above, though children may have additional personal spellings to learn on particular weeks.

Why should children practise their spelling?

As part of the new primary curriculum, the government have placed an increased emphasis on being able to spell well. Spelling must be accurate in all lessons (including in English, Maths and Topic), in the children's independent written work as well as in spelling tests.

How will spelling be assessed?

Spellings will be tested weekly. These tests will be made up of some of the words following the patterns/rules that are currently being practised in class and those that have been studied previously. Some words from the Year 3/4 spelling lists will also be included along with personal 'problem' words.

Testing will either be formal, when results will be recorded by the teacher, as dictation ( the teacher says sentences and children write applying spelling and grammar skills), or will take place in pairs, when partners will be helping each other to correct mistakes and highlight misconceptions. The intention of carrying out testing in this way is that children become better spellers and won't just learn words for a test without applying their learning.

What are the expectations for spelling in Year 4?

Children are expected to include an increasing number of advanced words in their written school work. By Year 4, it is expected that all Year 3 and 4 words are now being spelled correctly with very few errors - the National Curriculum rules and word list have been collated and it is available below. On this list you can see which are the Year 3/4 or Year 5/6 words.

Children are able to use word mats, dictionaries and classroom resources to support their spelling during class work but not during spelling tests.