Is the Emile spelling scheme aligned with the National Curriculum?

Yes, the Emile Spelling Scheme provides 100% end-to-end coverage of the English National Curriculum (Appendix 1) for Key Stage 1 (Years 1–2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6), including all statutory word lists.

How does Emile support dyslexic pupils and SEND learners?

Emile uses an adaptive learning algorithm, visual and auditory scaffolding, and a morphology-first approach to break down words into prefixes, roots, and suffixes to reduce cognitive load for SEND and dyslexic learners.

Is the Emile spelling scheme free for UK schools?

The Emile Scheme of Work and downloadable teaching resources are 100% free for primary school teachers, with optional premium subscriptions available for automated digital app access and tracking.

How does Emile help reduce teacher workload for spelling lessons?

Emile offers zero-prep, ready-to-teach weekly presentation slides, printable pupil workbooks, automated online task marking, and real-time class analytics dashboards.

What Does a Good Spelling Scheme Look Like?

Evidence-informed answers to the questions teachers are asking about spelling, vocabulary and morphology

Good spelling is about more than weekly tests.

Many schools find that pupils can succeed in weekly spelling tests yet struggle to apply the same spellings in independent writing.

Effective spelling teaching therefore focuses on retention, retrieval and application.

Why do pupils score well in spelling tests but still misspell words in their writing?

Writing requires pupils to generate ideas, structure sentences, select vocabulary and remember spellings simultaneously.

Strong spelling curricula revisit knowledge regularly and encourage transfer into authentic writing.

Should spelling be taught through rules or word lists?

The strongest approaches combine both. Word lists provide examples while explicit instruction teaches patterns, conventions and word structure.

What is morphology and why are teachers talking about it?

Morphology is the study of meaningful parts of words. Teaching prefixes, suffixes and roots helps pupils understand spelling patterns and unlock vocabulary.

Research from Bowers and Kirby found that morphology instruction can positively influence literacy development.

What is orthographic mapping?

Orthographic mapping describes how words become stored in long-term memory through connections between sounds, spellings and meaning.

Dr Linnea Ehri’s work suggests skilled readers store words through connections between sounds, spellings and meaning.

The Nested Structure of English Spelling (Orthography)

English spelling is organised in layers, where sound sits inside meaning, and meaning sits inside history.

This is what linguists describe as a nested structure. Each layer contains and builds on the one before it, rather than replacing it.

Sounds are nested inside meaning, and meaning is nested inside history.

Think of English spelling like Russian dolls.

Each layer fits inside the next:

Sounds (phonics) sit inside meaning (morphology)
Meaning sits inside history (etymology)

English spelling is designed to:

keep meaning visible
show relationships between words
stay consistent across word families

This is why morphology is so powerful. It helps children understand spelling as a logical system, not a list of exceptions.

The Three Nested Layers of English Spelling

Phonology (sounds)

This is the layer children usually meet first.

Phonology focuses on:

how words sound
phonics
letters representing sounds

Example:

cat → /c/ /a/ /t/

This layer is essential. It helps children read and decode words, especially when they are first learning to read.

Morphology (meaning)

The middle layer focuses on meaning of words and explains why spellings often stay the same, even when sounds change.

Morphology includes:

prefixes, bases, and suffixes
word families
meaningful spelling patterns

Example:

sign → signal → design → signature → designate → assignments

Although the pronunciation changes, the spelling remains connected to the shared meaning.

This layer helps children spell accurately, recognise word families, and understand vocabulary more deeply.

Etymology (history)

The outer layer explains where words come from and why English spelling contains patterns that phonics alone cannot explain.

Etymology includes:

Latin, Greek, and Old English origins
borrowed words
historical spellings

Examples:

post (Latin: after)
per (Latin: through)
cent (Latin: hundred)

This layer helps explain why English spelling isn’t always phonetic and why certain spellings have been preserved over time.

Morphology & Phonics Working Together

Phonics and morphology are not competing approaches. They work best together, each supporting a different aspect of spelling and reading.

Phonics helps children to:

sound out unfamiliar words
link letters to sounds
decode words when reading

Morphology helps children to:

spell longer and more complex words
understand how words are constructed
make sense of spelling patterns linked to meaning

Confident spellers draw on both sound and meaning.

Strong spelling depends on understanding how words sound and what their parts mean.

Phonics gives children a starting point, but morphology explains why many spellings stay the same even when sounds change, and how words are connected across families. Together, they give children a fuller understanding of how English spelling works.

Rather than choosing between phonics or morphology, effective spelling instruction recognises that both are essential.

Morphology in the Primary Classroom

In primary school, children are expected to move beyond sounding out simple words and begin to understand how words are constructed.

Morphology supports this shift by helping pupils recognise patterns, relationships, and meaning across words.

Rather than memorising spellings in isolation, children investigate:

how words are built from prefixes, bases, and suffixes
how words belong to families
how spelling patterns are linked to meaning

This approach encourages curiosity about words and helps children make connections across their reading and writing.

Learning Through Patterns and Word Families

In the classroom, morphology is most effective when it is taught as an exploration of patterns, not a list of rules.

Children learn to:

spot shared bases across words
recognise how prefixes and suffixes change meaning
use known words to help spell unfamiliar ones

By working with word families, pupils begin to see spelling as a logical system, rather than a series of exceptions.

Supporting Spelling, Vocabulary, and Understanding

When children work with morpheme matrices, they begin to recognise that:

words are constructed logically
spelling choices are linked to meaning
knowing one word can help them spell many others

This supports not only spelling accuracy, but also vocabulary growth and reading comprehension, as children learn to unpack the meaning of complex words

What should schools look for in a spelling scheme?

Look for:

explicit teaching,
curriculum coverage,
retrieval practice,
meaningful assessment,
SEND support,
progression and
evidence of impact.

Morphology & the National Curriculum

The National Curriculum for spelling has helped to raise awareness of morphology in primary education. However, some of the terminology used does not always reflect how English spelling works from a linguistic perspective.

In particular, some items listed as separate “suffixes” are not, in fact, distinct morphemes. This can create confusion for teachers and pupils, especially when spelling is taught through meaning.

Understanding these limitations helps teachers make more informed decisions about how morphology is taught in the classroom.

Suffixes ‑tion, ‑sion, and ‑ssion

In the National Curriculum, ‑tion, ‑sion, and ‑ssion are presented as separate suffixes.

From a morphological point of view, this is misleading.

These spellings all represent the same suffix:

‑ion meaning “the act of” or “the result of”

The variation in spelling (t / s / ss) comes from the base word, not from a change in suffix.

For example:

educate + ion → education
confess + ion → confession

Treating ‑tion, ‑sion, and ‑ssion as different suffixes encourages children to memorise spellings rather than understand how words are constructed.

Suffix ‑ly

The curriculum creates a different spelling pattern for adding the suffix ly to words ending in ic.

For example, the curriculum states:

“If the root word ends with –ic, –ally is added rather than just –ly” and gives the example of basically.

However, what could be said to be happening here is that the word

basically = base + ic + al +ly

and so obeys the rules previously given.

Suffix ‑ian

The curriculum presents –cian as a suffix where we think it’s more appropriate to present –ian as the relevant suffix.

The suffix -cian doesn’t cover words such as vegetarian, guardian, pedestrian,….

If cian was the suffix, it would require a drop the C rule.

For example, magic+cian = magiccian

By treating ian as the suffix, it covers more words and does not require any artificial drop the c rule.

Suffixes ‑ous, -cious, & -tious

Similarly, in the National Curriculum, ‑tious, ‑cious, and ‑ious are presented as separate suffixes.

From a morphological point of view, this is misleading.

These spellings all represent the same suffix:

‑ous meaning “full of”

The variation in spelling (t / c ) comes from the base word, not from a change in suffix.

How Emile Harnesses Morphology to Teach Spelling

Emile’s approach to morphology is organised around five key areas:

We offer a FREE morphology based scheme of work. It features mapping the national curriculum, Powerpoints, worksheets and assessments.

1. Rules

Children learn spelling rules in context, supported by meaning.

Rather than memorising rules in isolation, pupils see why a rule applies and how it fits within the structure of a word.

2.Prefixes

Children explore common prefixes and their meanings, learning how prefixes:

change meaning
signal time, position, or degree
appear consistently across many words

Understanding prefixes allows pupils to spell and interpret longer words with greater confidence.

3.Bases

The base is the core meaning part of a word.
Emile places strong emphasis on bases because they:

link words into families
explain consistent spellings across related words
help children see meaning beneath surface sounds

By recognising shared bases, pupils can use known words to spell unfamiliar ones.

4. Suffixes

Suffixes are taught as meaningful additions that:

change word class
adjust tense or number
refine meaning

Children learn what each suffix means and how it affects the spelling of the whole word, rather than treating suffixes as arbitrary endings.

5. Patterns

Across prefixes, bases, and suffixes, Emile highlights patterns in spelling.

Children investigate:

repeated morphemes
consistent spellings across word families
how words are built step by step

This pattern‑seeking approach reduces reliance on rote memorisation and encourages logical thinking.

6. Etymology

Etymology is not taught as an add‑on or a list of interesting facts. It is woven directly into our approach to morphology, helping children understand where words come from and why they are spelled the way they are.

We focus on etymology only when it helps pupils spell and understand words more effectively. Rather than overwhelming children with long word histories, we highlight the most useful origins—especially words from Latin, Greek and Old English—that explain modern spelling patterns.

7. Fully Aligned with the UK National Curriculum (KS1 & KS2)

The Emile Spelling Scheme provides complete, end-to-end coverage of the English National Curriculum (Appendix 1: Spelling) across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, ensuring pupils master statutory spelling patterns, phonics progression, and vocabulary expectations.

This includes coverage of the Common Exception Words, 3/4 Word List and 5/6 Word List.

Built-in dictation & transcription exercises, cloze passages, and automated question types mirror the formatting of Key Stage 2 Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling national assessments.

8. Premium – Games

Emile’s games are designed to make spelling practice effective, flexible and motivating.

Built around morphology, they give pupils repeated exposure to words and patterns in a way that feels purposeful rather than repetitive.

Emile games are particularly effective for spelling interventions because they:

Focus on specific gaps rather than whole‑class content
Reinforce morphemes and word patterns, not just individual words
Provide immediate feedback, helping pupils self‑correct.

Teachers can direct pupils to exactly the content they need, making Emile ideal for:

homework
boosting SATs scores; &
interventions

Because the games are consistent, fun and structured, pupils build confidence quickly and begin to see spelling as something they enjoy, understand and can improve.

9. Premium – Track Progress

Emile’s reporting tools are designed to give teachers clear, actionable insights without adding to workload.

All reporting is automatic, easy to understand and directly linked to what pupils have been taught and the words spelled in games, battles, tasks and events.

Emile reports show:

What pupils know
Where they are struggling
Progress made

All against the national curriculum.

From Memorisation to Understanding

Through word sums, morpheme matrices, and repeated meaningful practice, Emile helps children move from memorising spellings to understanding spelling.

As a result, pupils are able to:

spell words they have not been explicitly taught
tackle longer and more complex vocabulary
apply their knowledge across reading and writing

By combining sound, meaning, and structure, Emile reflects how English spelling actually works — and helps children succeed within it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best spelling scheme for primary schools?

There is no single “best” spelling scheme for every school.

The most effective spelling schemes tend to share a number of characteristics:

Explicit teaching of spelling patterns and conventions
Regular retrieval and revision
Opportunities to apply spellings in writing
Clear progression across year groups
Assessment that identifies gaps and misconceptions
Support for vocabulary development
Reduced teacher workload

Rather than choosing a programme based on popularity alone, schools should look for approaches that help pupils understand how words work. Increasingly, this includes the teaching of morphology, prefixes, suffixes and word families, alongside phonics and spelling patterns.

How should spelling be taught in KS2?

By KS2, spelling should move beyond simply memorising weekly word lists.

Children benefit from learning:

Common spelling patterns
Prefixes and suffixes
Word families
Morphology
Etymology
Strategies for tackling unfamiliar words

Effective teaching also includes regular retrieval practice and opportunities to apply spelling knowledge in independent writing.

A strong KS2 spelling curriculum helps pupils understand not just how a word is spelt, but why it is spelt that way.

What does the research say about weekly spelling tests?

Tests can support retrieval, but schools should also evaluate retention and application in writing.

Why do children struggle with spelling?

There are many reasons why a child may find spelling difficult.

Common causes include:

Gaps in phonics knowledge
Limited vocabulary
Difficulty remembering spelling patterns
Weak understanding of word structure
Working memory challenges
Dyslexia or other specific learning needs

Many struggling spellers rely on memorising individual words. Teaching morphology can help because it enables pupils to recognise patterns and relationships between words rather than treating each spelling as something completely new.

For example, understanding the base sign helps pupils make sense of words such as signal, signature, designate and assignment.

Should spelling and phonics be taught together?

In KS1, yes. As pupils progress, spelling should also include morphology, etymology and wider conventions.

How can schools support pupils who struggle with spelling?

Use explicit instruction, regular retrieval, overlearning opportunities, meaningful feedback and targeted intervention.

What evidence should schools ask for before buying a spelling scheme?

Look for independent evaluations, outcome measures, sample sizes and transparent methodologies.

How can schools improve spelling?

Schools often achieve the greatest improvements when spelling is treated as part of a wider literacy curriculum rather than as a weekly test.

Strong spelling provision typically includes:

Explicit teaching
Retrieval practice
Application in writing
Morphology and vocabulary instruction
Assessment and feedback
Consistent whole-school progression

Schools should also ensure pupils have opportunities to investigate words, explore word families and understand how spelling, meaning and vocabulary are connected.

This is one reason why morphology is receiving growing attention in primary education.

Want to explore morphology in your school?

Our free morphology scheme provides ready-to-teach lessons covering:

Prefixes
Suffixes
Morphemes
Word families
Greek and Latin roots
Vocabulary development

What's included in the Emile Spelling Scheme?

Ready-to-Teach Lesson Slides:

Weekly, fully editable presentation slides introducing spelling patterns, morphological breakdowns, and whole-class interactive warm-ups.

Printable Worksheets:

High-quality downloadable pupil worksheets and purchasable workbooks covering all spelling patterns and morphemes.

Zero Prep Time:

The Emile Spelling Scheme is built to drastically reduce teacher workload. Everything required to teach, practice, assess, and review spelling is fully prepared and ready to deliver immediately.

Premium: Automated Marking & Live Analytics:

All digital practice, homework, and assessment tasks are marked instantly by the platform, populating a real-time teacher dashboard that highlights class gaps and individual progress.