Spelling
Primary Resources for Spelling
Do your pupils need support with tricky spellings, common exception words or specific rules like adding suffixes? Help them grow in confidence with our KS1 and KS2 spelling primary resources, designed to reinforce word patterns and improve independent writing.
Our primary spelling resources include word lists, interactive tasks, spelling rule worksheets, dictation practice and games. Whether your class is focusing on high-frequency words, prefixes and suffixes or spelling patterns like “tion” and “ough”, these resources offer structured support for every stage of primary learning.
Fully aligned with the English national curriculum, these spelling resources help teachers plan weekly spelling lessons, prepare for spelling tests, and provide effective practice for home and classwork. From early phonics-based spelling to advanced vocabulary application in KS2, these materials are an essential toolkit for primary teachers.
What are Spellings?
Spelling is the ability to form words with the correct sequence of letters and is closely linked to phonics, reading and writing. For example, understanding that the sound /igh/ can be spelled “igh”, “ie” or “i-e” helps pupils spell words like light, pie and time accurately.
In KS1, children begin by learning how phonemes map onto graphemes and how common patterns such as “ck”, “ll” and “ed” behave. As they progress into KS2, spelling teaching includes prefixes, suffixes, homophones, and words with silent letters or irregular forms.
Children also develop editing skills and spelling strategies, such as segmenting, using memory tricks, and proofreading, which help them become more independent writers. Good spelling boosts confidence and reduces barriers to fluency in composition.
Spellings on the Primary National Curriculum
Pupils should be taught to spell by segmenting spoken words into phonemes and representing these by graphemes, progressing to accurate spelling of increasingly complex words.
Spelling is a key strand of the English curriculum in both KS1 and KS2. In Year 1 and Year 2, the focus is on phoneme–grapheme correspondence, common exception words, and basic rules. From Year 3 onwards, pupils build on this foundation to explore morphology (e.g., adding –ed, –ing, –ly), etymology, and spelling patterns from the statutory word lists.
By explicitly teaching spelling rules and offering regular practice, teachers help children recognise and apply conventions across their writing. Pupils learn how to use dictionaries to check spellings and how to apply spelling strategies during independent composition.
Through varied activities such as look–say–cover–write–check, dictation, and spelling games, children develop confidence in their ability to use words correctly in different contexts.
Activity Ideas for Teaching Spelling in KS1 & KS2
Incorporating fun and purposeful spelling activities into your English lessons helps pupils practise word patterns, apply rules and become more confident writers. Whether you’re focusing on phonics in KS1 or exploring suffixes and prefixes in KS2, these activities provide opportunities for hands-on learning and spelling reinforcement in everyday contexts.
Spelling treasure hunt – Hide word cards around the classroom and have pupils find and sort them by spelling patterns (e.g., words ending in –tion, –sion, or –ssion).
Sound Swap
Challenge learners to change one letter in a word to make a new word (e.g., chat → that → than → thin). This helps build phoneme awareness.
Spelling Relay
Divide the class into teams. Give each team a word to spell correctly on the board, one letter at a time, with each pupil contributing one letter.
Word Building with Dice
Pupils roll dice with prefixes, root words and suffixes to build real and nonsense words, sorting the results accordingly.
Suffix Spinner
Use a paper spinner with different suffixes. Children spin it and add the suffix to a root word, then check if the spelling is correct based on the rule.
Dictation Race
Read out sentences with focus spellings. Pupils write them down quickly and check their work against a correct version, identifying mistakes.
Rhyme and Spell
Explore rhyming patterns and how similar sounds can be spelled differently (e.g., great, late, weight), building visual spelling awareness.
Make a Word Wall
Create a themed word wall for each spelling pattern the class is learning that week. Add pupil-created sentences to show usage.
Syllable Sort
Provide a selection of words and have learners sort them by syllables, helping them recognise parts of longer words and spelling patterns.
Spot the Error
Show a list of words with deliberate spelling errors. Pupils correct the words and explain which rules were broken.
More Primary English Resources by Classroom Stars
If you’re teaching spelling in your primary classroom, you may also enjoy our vocabulary primary resources, which help children expand their word knowledge, explore synonyms and antonyms, and understand word meaning in different contexts—an essential foundation for confident, accurate spelling.
You may also want to browse our full collection of primary English resources, which includes reading comprehension, narrative writing, non-fiction tasks and poetry, helping pupils build essential literacy skills across KS1 and KS2.