Source-led briefing for primary teachers and leaders
What the DfE writing framework means for primary spelling
In short: The framework asks primary schools to teach spelling from Reception, systematically and with enough application for the knowledge to become fluent. It connects phonics with written patterns, meaningful word parts and word origins, and it treats accurate transcription as a foundation for composition.
Free briefing. Updated 23 October 2026.
Current position · reviewed 30 August 2026
What schools should do in 2026/27
The current national curriculum remains the statutory reference point. The Writing Framework remains non-statutory guidance. Use it to review teaching and choose one or two proportionate changes for this academic year, rather than treating it as a replacement spelling curriculum.
During 2026/27
Teach the current programmes of study and use the framework as evidence-informed guidance for reviewing transcription.
Spring 2027
The government says it aims to publish the final revised national curriculum by spring 2027.
September 2028
The government plans first teaching from September 2028, giving schools four terms to prepare after publication.
Six spelling messages
From framework wording to useful school action
The response column below is our practical interpretation, not additional DfE instruction. It shows one proportionate way a school could use each message in a curriculum conversation.
Spelling is part of transcription
The framework says
The framework treats spelling and handwriting as transcription skills. When these become more automatic, pupils have more working-memory capacity available for composition.
A reasonable school response
Protect explicit spelling teaching rather than expecting pupils to acquire every convention incidentally during extended writing.
Teaching begins in Reception
The framework says
The framework places phonics for spelling alongside explicit handwriting from the beginning of Reception, with fluency developed throughout primary school.
A reasonable school response
Check that early spelling language and practice are aligned with the school's phonics programme and continue coherently beyond Year 1.
Progression should be systematic
The framework says
It calls for systematic spelling teaching and plenty of practice applying spelling knowledge. Weekly word lists can provide examples within that connected sequence.
A reasonable school response
Map the taught knowledge across year groups, then use lists and practice tasks as examples of that progression rather than as the curriculum itself.
English spelling uses several kinds of knowledge
The framework says
The framework refers to phonics, orthography, morphology and etymology. In plain English: sound-letter links, written patterns, meaningful word parts and word origins all have a role when appropriate.
A reasonable school response
Choose the explanation that makes the target spelling more predictable. Include word history where it helps pupils understand the spelling.
Application matters
The framework says
The framework recommends plenty of practice applying knowledge and identifies dictation as one way pupils can practise spelling within sentences.
A reasonable school response
Include short, purposeful sentence application and delayed recall. Mix the word order and combine checks with opportunities to use taught spellings in writing.
Support should identify the actual barrier
The framework says
It asks schools to identify pupils needing help early, adapt teaching and provide smaller steps or more practice where required.
A reasonable school response
Separate difficulties with hearing sounds, recalling patterns, handwriting, language and composition before choosing support. Match the activity and teaching step to the barrier identified.
A practical leadership conversation
A seven-part September spelling audit
Use this as a short evidence-gathering walk-through for staff discussion. Record what is already strong, one gap worth addressing and what evidence will show that the change helped pupils.
- 1
Trace the progression from Reception to Year 6
Ask: Can teachers see what spelling knowledge is introduced, revisited and expected to become fluent in each phase?
Look for: A concise progression tied to the current national curriculum and the school's phonics programme, with purposeful revisiting rather than repeated restart points.
- 2
Check the handover from phonics
Ask: Do later year groups build from shared phonics language, or do pupils meet a completely new explanation as soon as the screening check is over?
Look for: Agreed terminology, examples and transition points showing how phonics knowledge continues to support spelling.
- 3
Look beyond sound alone
Ask: Where do pupils learn written patterns, root words, prefixes, suffixes and useful word origins when these explain the spelling?
Look for: Year-appropriate examples of orthographic, morphological and etymological teaching, chosen because they clarify real words in the curriculum.
- 4
Inspect what practice asks pupils to do
Ask: Does practice move from supported noticing to independent recall and application, or can pupils complete it while the answer stays visible?
Look for: Short retrieval, dictation and sentence use alongside carefully selected supported practice. Corrections identify the useful word part.
- 5
Review assessment information
Ask: Can teachers tell whether an error concerns sound-letter knowledge, a pattern, a word part or insecure recall?
Look for: Low-stakes diagnostic checks and work scrutiny that inform the next lesson, rather than a weekly percentage with no analysis.
- 6
Follow pupils who need more support
Ask: Are pupils identified early and given accessible teaching aimed at their particular barrier?
Look for: A clear response involving the class teacher and SENCO where appropriate, smaller teaching steps, additional practice and review of whether the adaptation helped.
- 7
Check leadership and teacher knowledge
Ask: Do staff have enough shared subject knowledge to explain why a spelling works and give useful feedback?
Look for: A small number of useful professional-development priorities, protected curriculum time and an agreed plan to review impact.
Use the guidance in your school’s context
Decisions that remain with your school
The framework offers substantial guidance on teaching. Schools still choose the routines and resources that fit their curriculum and pupils. These principles help connect national guidance with local policy and staff development.
- Keep the current statutory national curriculum as the reference point. The framework is non-statutory guidance; the DfE says it will be updated after a revised curriculum is drafted.
- Choose resources that fit your school. The framework leaves schools free to select a scheme, app, intervention or other resources; buying a particular commercial product is optional.
- Set manageable routines locally. Schools choose weekly-list lengths, homework formats and spelling-check timings to fit their pupils and curriculum.
- Connect spelling with meaningful reading and writing. Plan explicit teaching alongside opportunities to apply the knowledge in context.
- Review the specific barrier before choosing support. A spelling error alone cannot establish a special educational need; use the school's assessment and SEND processes where appropriate.
- Evaluate teaching and practice in your own setting. Check which activities help your pupils and adapt them in response to evidence.
Read the publication in context
Start with the framework, then test local assumptions
The full 150-page framework contains a dedicated transcription section, practical examples and its bibliography. The summary is useful for orientation, but it cannot carry every nuance of curriculum, assessment or additional support.
The EEF writing practice review predates the framework and describes current challenges and valued approaches in schools. It is useful context, not proof that a particular spelling scheme or digital tool will improve outcomes in every setting.
Teacher and leader questions
DfE writing framework spelling FAQ
Is the DfE writing framework statutory?
No. The Department for Education describes the writing framework as non-statutory guidance for primary schools. The current national curriculum remains the statutory reference point. Schools should read the framework as practical guidance, not as a replacement curriculum.
Does the writing framework change the spelling curriculum?
It does not publish a new statutory spelling programme of study. It explains a teaching approach and says an updated framework will follow after a revised national curriculum has been drafted.
What does automatic spelling mean in the framework?
Automaticity means a pupil can produce familiar spellings with little conscious effort. The framework's point is that fluent transcription reduces demands on working memory, leaving more capacity for deciding what to say and how to organise it.
Does the framework recommend spelling tests?
The central message is systematic teaching plus practice applying knowledge. A test can provide useful diagnostic information, but a score alone does not teach the word or explain which knowledge is insecure.
What is morphology in primary spelling?
Morphology is the study of meaningful word parts, such as roots, prefixes and suffixes. For example, connecting sign, signal and signature can help pupils understand why a spelling stays visible even when pronunciation changes.
Should a school rewrite its spelling policy immediately?
Start with an audit. Identify where current teaching already matches the framework, where evidence is missing and which one or two changes would make the progression clearer. Any policy update should describe agreed practice that staff can actually deliver.
Supporting families too? Share 15 spelling games organised by learning job.
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