At Dhoon School, we use Spelling Shed as our whole‑school spelling scheme. It provides full coverage of the National Curriculum (England) expectations for spelling, including the age‑appropriate word lists and spelling rules. The scheme offers clear progression, lots of practice, and a variety of fun and engaging activities - both in class and online. Each class has a dedicated weekly spelling lesson that builds smoothly on the foundations laid in our phonics programme.
Spelling Shed also fits brilliantly with our Visible Learning approach. At the start of each week, children complete a short ‘cold test’ to see what they already know, followed by a ‘hot test’ at the end of the week after plenty of teaching, practice and play. This simple routine helps pupils see the progress they’ve made and celebrates the effort and hard work that led to it!
Some of the key features of Spelling Shed at Dhoon include:
- A complete scheme of work with 36 weekly word lists for every year group, ensuring logical progression and regular review.
- Discrete, teacher‑led lessons supported by clear teaching slides and resources, making sure objectives are taught explicitly and effectively.
- A highly motivating online game that children love, helping them practise their spellings more regularly and boosting confidence and success.
- Built‑in data tracking so teachers can instantly see how often pupils are practising, as well as their progress and attainment over time.
Together, these elements help make spelling at Dhoon enjoyable, purposeful and successful for all learners.