Supporting your child with spelling
Supporting your child spell
Spelling is quite a complex skill to develop which involves a lot of multi tasking. Firstly children need to be able to recognise, write and hear letter sounds. However simple that may sound, it really isn’t! Children will soon realise that some words no matter how much you sound them out do not look like that when written. For example – what when sounded out is w-o-t.
As children progress through the school they will meet vowel diagraphs and trigraphs – for more on this look at the phonics document on the parents page.
Reading is a huge benefit when learning to spell because your child will learn and remember what some words look like and then apply them to their writing.
Please see below the spelling lists for each year group.
Year 1 to 2 High Frequency Words
about |
can't |
her |
many |
over |
then |
who |
after |
could |
here |
may |
people |
there |
will |
again |
did |
him |
more |
push |
these |
with |
an |
do |
his |
much |
pull |
three |
would |
another |
don't |
home |
must |
put |
time |
your |
as |
dig |
house |
name |
ran |
too |
|
back |
door |
how |
new |
saw |
took |
|
ball |
down |
if |
next |
school |
tree |
|
be |
first |
jump |
night |
seen |
two |
|
because |
from |
just |
not |
should |
us |
|
bed |
girl |
last |
now |
sister |
very |
|
been |
good |
laugh |
off |
so |
want |
|
boy |
got |
little |
old |
some |
water |
|
brother |
had |
live(d) |
once |
take |
way |
|
but |
half |
love |
one |
than |
were |
|
by |
has |
made |
or |
that |
what |
|
call(ed) |
have |
make |
our |
their |
when |
|
came |
help |
man |
out |
them |
where |
Plus
- days of the week
- months of the year
- numbers to twenty
- common colour words
- pupil's name and address
- pupil's name and address
Year 3
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accident(ally) actual(ly) address answer appear arrive believe bicycle |
breath breathe build busy/business calendar caught centre century |
certain circle complete consider continue decide describe different |
difficult disappear early earth eight/eighth enough exercise experience |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
||
through various weight woman/women occasion(ally) special notice
|
experiment extreme famous favourite February forward(s) fruit grammar |
often opposite ordinary particular peculiar perhaps popular position |
possess(ion) possible potatoes pressure probably promise purpose quarter minute |
Year 4 |
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question recent regular reign remember sentence separate material medicine |
increase important interest island knowledge learn length library mention |
straight strange strength suppose surprise therefore though although thought |
group guard guide heard heart height history imagine naughty natural |
Year 5 |
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accommodate accompany according achieve aggressive amateur ancient apparent
|
appreciate attached available average awkward bargain bruise category
|
cemetery committee communicate community competition conscience* conscious* controversy |
dictionary disastrous embarrass environment equipped/ment especially exaggerate excellent existence |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
||
convenience correspond criticise (critic + ise) curiosity definite desperate determined develop |
pronunciation queue recognise recommend relevant restaurant rhyme rhythm sacrifice |
secretary shoulder signature sincere(ly) soldier stomach sufficient suggest explanation |
symbol system temperature thorough twelfth variety vegetable vehicle yacht |
Year 6 |
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opportunity parliament persuade physical prejudice privilege profession programme |
marvellous mischievous muscle necessary neighbour nuisance occupy occur |
identity immediate(ly) individual interfere interrupt language leisure lightning |
familiar foreign forty frequently government guarantee harass hindrance |