KS2 Phonics and Spelling Report Comments (Years 3-6)

Phonics and spelling covers matching sounds to letters, blending to read and segmenting to spell in KS1, then prefixes, suffixes, homophones, spelling rules, the year group word lists and checking spellings with a dictionary in KS2.

Below are 9 sample sentences for KS2 (Years 3-6): one strength and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Extending / Confident / Developing / Beginning), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 119 phonics and spelling sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.

Jump to: Extending · Confident · Developing · Beginning · Writing tips

Student name Pronouns

Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Extending E

Strengths

Using the first two or three letters, [Name] finds words quickly in a dictionary to check endings such as '-ation' and '-ous'.Lower KS2

Next step

Building on this, [Name] could learn the prefixes 'il-', 'im-' and 'ir-' and the rule for when each is used, as in 'illegal', 'impossible' and 'irregular'.Lower KS2

Confident C

Strengths

Endings such as '-cious' and '-tious' are usually chosen correctly by [Name], as in 'vicious', 'precious' and 'ambitious'.Upper KS2

Next step

Learning when to use '-able' or '-ible', and checking uncertain words in a dictionary, will help [him/her/them] spell longer words correctly.Upper KS2

Developing D

Strengths

Spotting a root word inside a longer word, such as 'help' in 'unhelpful', is helping [Name] to spell some words with prefixes and suffixes.

Next step

Highlighting the prefix, root and suffix in longer words will help [Name] see how these words are built.

Beginning B

Strengths

With a model on the table, [Name] is beginning to spell words ending in '-tion', such as 'action' and 'station'.Lower KS2

Next step

A next step is to practise adding the prefixes 'un-' and 'dis-' to familiar words, such as 'unlock' and 'dislike'.Lower KS2

Support at home

Encouraging your child to reread a note or list they have written at home and look for spellings that seem wrong builds the habit of proofreading.

How to write phonics and spelling comments for KS2 (Years 3-6)

Name the spelling pattern or rule with an example: a prefix such as 'dis-', homophones such as 'bear' and 'bare', or an ending such as '-cious'. This gives families a pattern to practise rather than a list.
Look at spelling in the child's own writing as well as in practice tasks. A child may spell a weekly list correctly but not in a story, so say where the pattern holds and suggest proofreading for it.
Mention dictionary use as a strategy: lower KS2 children find a word using the first two or three letters, while upper KS2 children check spellings and meanings and explore word roots and origins.

Watch out: Avoid describing phonics through a programme stage or a group name, which families cannot act on. Instead say which sounds or patterns the child reads and spells, and which one to practise next.

The scale describes how independently the child shows the learning. Extending suits independently, applies it in new contexts and explains reasoning; Confident suits usually and with occasional support; Developing suits sometimes, or with a model or word mat; Beginning names what the child does with adult support. Show the point through one piece of learning rather than writing the scale word itself.

What Phonics and Spelling covers

In these comments, phonics and spelling covers these behaviours:

KS1: knows grapheme-phoneme correspondences and blends sounds to read words, including common exception words
KS1: segments words into sounds to spell them and spells common exception words
KS2: spells words with prefixes and suffixes, homophones and words from the statutory word lists
uses spelling rules and patterns, word families and a dictionary to check spellings

More UK primary subjects comments

How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.