How do we teach spelling, punctuation and grammar at Teversham?

At Teversham, we use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised and the No-Nonsense Spelling Programme to teach phonics and spelling.

In EYFS, children learn Phases 1, 2 and 3 of phonics.

In Year 1, children revise phase 3 then learn Phases 4 and 5 of phonics ready to undertake the Statutory Phonics Screening check in the Summer Term. Our phonics programme is delivered in a fun, practical way to support children in their early stages of spelling and reading. 

From Year 2 onwards, No-Nonsense Spelling supplements phonics teaching and teaches children the spelling patterns and spelling rules of our language as outlined in the National Curriculum (see English Appendix 1). As well as rules and patterns, the programme builds in time for children to learn words from the Statutory Spelling Lists for each year group. Spelling is taught 2 or 3 times throughout the week and follows the same teaching sequence as phonics: Revise, Teach, Practise, Apply/Assess.

We do not believe in giving children weekly spelling tests; instead, we devise personalised spelling lists for children which they should learn over an entire term. These are created by teachers giving one spelling test at the beginning of the term which identifies the words and spelling patterns each child needs to practise. Children have a copy of their personalised spelling list in school and at home so that they can practise using the strategies taught in school.