Spelling in Year 3
In year 3, we aim to ensure all children begin to know how to spell the common exception words from Year 3 and 4. For those children who have not secured all of the Year 1 and 2 common exception words, these will form part of their focus during the year. The common exception word lists for Year 1 & 2 and for Year 3 & 4 are available by clicking the links below. Your child may bring a list home with a selection of words from these lists to learn each week, if this is needed.
Year 1 & 2 Common exception Word Checklist
Year 3 & 4 Common exception Word Checklist
We teach spelling closely linked to our phonics programme. Children will not receive weekly spelling lists to practise at home. We will however communicate to you which phoneme or spelling rule we are focusing on each week so you can practise at home with your child.
To help children learn their spellings, there are a number of strategies that can be used. Have a look at these spelling strategies posters, below, for ideas and refer back to their Little Wandle phonics learning via the link below. There are videos to aid with pronunciation and lists of the different sounds taught in each phase.
Year 3 Spelling Coverage by Half Term
Autumn 1
- common alternative spellings for the long vowel sound /a/ using the graphemes: ai, ay, a-e, a, ey, eigh, ea and aigh;
- common alternative spellings for the long vowel sound /e/ using the graphemes: ee, ea, e-e, e, ie, y and ey;
- common alternative spellings for the long vowel sound /i/ using the graphemes: igh, ie, i-e, y and i;
- common alternative spellings for the long vowel sound /o/ using the graphemes: oa, ow, o-e, o and oe;
- common alternative spellings for the long vowel sound /u/ using the graphemes: oo, ue, u-e, ew, o, u and ou;
- common alternative spellings for the long vowel sound /oi/ using the graphemes: oi and oy;
- common alternative spellings for the long vowel sound /ow/ using the graphemes: ow and ou.
Autumn 2
- the rules for adding -s to plurals, and revision of irregular plurals (e.g. children, feet, mice) and nouns that do not change (e.g. fish, sheep);
- the rules for applying suffixes beginning with vowel letters, -ed and -ing, including doubling the final consonant after a short vowel sound;
- the rules for applying suffixes beginning with vowel letters -er and -est;
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the conventions that apply when adding the endings: -le, -il and -al.
Spring 1
- distinguishing between the spelling and meaning of homophones;
- apostrophes for contraction and possession;
- the -ly suffix, following a consonant;
- the -ally suffix;
- the -ness, -ment suffixes and their meanings.
Spring 2
- the -ful and -less suffixes and their meanings;
- the -sion, -tion, and -ation suffixes;
- the rules for the un-, dis-, mis-, and in- prefixes and their meanings;
- the rules for the re- and super- prefixes and their meanings;
Summer 1
New learning for this half term included:
- the short vowel sound /ʌ/ spelt ou e.g. as in brother, cover etc;
- the vowel suffix -ous;
- words with the long vowel sound /eI/ spelt ei, eigh, or ey;
- words with the short vowel sound /ɪ/ sound spelt y in the middle of words;
- words with the phoneme /s/ spelt sc.
Summer 2
- words containing silent letters written kn, gn, wr and wh;
- silent words on the statutory spelling list for Year 3 and 4;
- review of the high frequency words.
Alongside these spelling words, the children will also be required to learn the statutory spelling words for Year 3 and 4 pupils. We will be looking at these throughout the year (see link on the left of this page). Please note that, where appropriate, many of these will be covered where they fit the rules explored each half term.
Autumn Spellings
Below, you can find out more about the spelling focus for each week as well as any other resources we suggest to support your child at home.
