Ireland Wood Primary School
Immerse, Inspire, Include

Curriculum  »  Curriculum (All subjects)  »  English  »  Handwriting & Spelling

Handwriting
 
At Ireland Wood Primary, we follow the Letter-join handwriting scheme. The programme begins as children start to form letter in Early Years and continues to develop throughout each key stage. Once children are forming letters clearly and accurately, we begin to focus on making accurate joins, ensuring that writing is legible and all lettering is formed at the correct size. 
 

Correct posture and pencil grip for handwriting
 
Pupils should be taught to sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly.

 
 
Left-handed children
 
Left-handed children may find it difficult to follow the movements of right-handed teachers as they model letter formation (and vice versa). Teachers should demonstrate to left-handers on an individual or group basis.
 
Left-handed pupils should sit to the left of a right-handed child so that they are not competing for space.
Pupils should position the paper/book to their left side and slanted.
Pencils should not be held too close to the point as this can interrupt pupils’ line of vision.
Extra practice with left-to-right exercises may be necessary before pupils write left-to-right automatically.

 
The Tripod Pencil Grip
 
Both right and left handed children should be encouraged to use the tripod grip which allows the pen/pencil to be held securely whilst allowing controlled movements of the pen/pencil nib. 
 

 
 
If any child is not on track to reach our expectations in KS2 they will receive additional support through small group intervention groups using the Letter-Join recovery programme.
 
Letter Families 


Handwriting Documents

Please find attached our handwriting expectations from Reception - Year 6. You will also find additional resources to support you at home.

Spellings
 

KS1:

Children in KS1 will be given a set of spellings to learn. These are spellings from the new National Curriculum. The spellings for each year group are taken from the spelling patterns and from the list of common exception words (as listed in the curriculum). Most of the children in each class will be working on the same spellings and these will be taught regularly throughout the week in short bursts. At Ireland Wood, spellings are tested on a Wednesday. Please encourage your child to practise their spellings at home on the spellings homework sheets that are sent home weekly.

KS2: 

Children in KS2 learn their spellings through Spelling Shed. Spelling Shed is an online resource which allows the children to practise their spellings interactively online. It has been proven to increase engagement in spelling and secure knowledge in key spelling patterns. It is fun, interactive and tailored to suit the needs of your child.


How it works:

Each child in KS2 will be provided with a log-in code and password. The website can be accessed through the internet browser. There is an app but there is no requirement to purchase this. Each week, there will be an opportunity provided for the children to practise their spellings in school. However, we also encourage spelling shed to be accessed at home at least once a week for your child’s spelling homework. Different assignments will be set each week and your child’s access to spelling shed will be monitored by teachers. If you are unable to access Spelling Shed at home, we will ensure your child has greater opportunity at school.

A weekly spelling test will continue to take place on a Wednesday morning. The test will link directly to the word learnt via Spelling Shed. A copy of the spelling lists for the term is available on the school website in your the class galleries.