Deputy News 

The Art (and Science) of Spelling at Sacred Heart

How were you taught to spell? Many of us remember weekly spelling lists, “Look, Cover, Write, Check,” and the nerves of the Friday spelling test! While those traditional methods had their place, we now know that spelling is far more complex and fascinating than memorising words from a list.

Spelling can be tricky, and for good reason. The English language borrows words from many other languages, each bringing its own quirks and rules. Think of words like knight, science, or phone—the sounds and letters don’t always match up neatly! Yet, contrary to popular belief, English spelling is actually more regular and pattern-based than it seems at first glance.

Research shows that learning to spell and learning to read are deeply connected. Both rely on understanding how letters and sounds work together. There’s also a strong link between spelling and writing: when students don’t have to concentrate too hard on spelling, their minds are free to focus on the creative and higher-level parts of writing. On the other hand, when spelling is a struggle, it can interrupt the flow of ideas or lead students to use simpler words than they might otherwise choose.

So what makes spelling in English so interesting? According to linguists and researchers, almost every word can be explained using one or more of these five key principles:

1. Etymology – A word’s language of origin and history can explain its spelling.
2. Meaning and Grammar – A word’s meaning or part of speech can determine how it’s spelled.
3. Phonics – Speech sounds are represented by single letters or combinations of letters.
4. Positional Frequency – The way a sound is spelled can change depending on its position in a word.

5. Spelling Patterns and Rules – Some spellings are guided by common letter patterns and conventions.

    

Understanding these principles helps students see that spelling isn’t random it’s logical, layered, and deeply connected to how English works as a whole. At school, our goal is to make spelling both meaningful and empowering, giving students the tools to become confident readers and writers.

At our school, we use the Spelling Mastery program to explicitly teach students the patterns and logic of English spelling. Spelling Mastery is a research-based program that moves beyond simple memorisation by helping students understand why words are spelled the way they are. Through carefully sequenced lessons, students learn to connect sounds, word parts, and meanings, gradually building a deep understanding of spelling rules and patterns. The program provides lots of guided practice and review, ensuring students develop accuracy, confidence, and fluency in spelling, skills that support both reading and writing success.

Now in our third year of implementing Spelling Mastery, we are proud to share that 88% of our Year 3 students are performing in the strong and exceeding bands, along with 84% of our Year 5 students. These outstanding results reflect not only the effectiveness of the program but also the dedication and effort of our students and teachers in developing confident, capable spellers.

This year, we have also had a group of Year 6 students whose assessments at the end of last year indicated they were working beyond the Spelling Mastery program, a great problem to have! To continue extending their learning, we introduced an extension program called Vocabulary Through Morphemes. This program helps students explore how words are built by examining prefixes, suffixes, and root words, strengthening their spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension while deepening their understanding of the English language.

Prep Information Night – Class of 2026

We had an incredible turnout of families at our Prep Information Night on the 14th! It was wonderful to welcome so many new families joining our Sacred Heart community, as well as returning families eager to refresh their understanding of how things work in Prep and get organised for the year ahead.

Our amazing 2026 Prep teachers, Ms Wood and Ms Porter, were joined by six other members of staff who came along to support both the team and our future Prep cohort. We are truly blessed with such a dedicated and passionate staff who share a common vision for teaching and learning. At Sacred Heart, we follow the evidence and implement best practice from Prep to Year 6, ensuring every child has the best possible start to their school journey.

Here is look at the information we handed out to parents about how we teach reading here a Sacred Heart. 

Kate & Sarah

Deputy Principals