Year one spellings focus on the phonemes and graphemes that the children have been learning in school. The children should practise the phonic strategies taught to support the spelling of words.

From the Spring term onwards, some spellings will be described as ‘nonsense words‘ (seen on the Phonic Spelling Pattern lists in blue, these are words that are not real but are phonetically plausible when sounding out and writing).

One of the National Curriculum expectations for year one is that children should use phonetic strategies in reading and writing words that are unfamiliar to them. The aim of weekly phonic spelling patterns is to support the children to apply phonic strategies they have already learned in class.

As the children progress through the school, they will be able to apply these strategies with increasing confidence when writing unfamiliar words.

Children take a phonics assessment at the end of year one, in-line with the government’s requirements.