When preparing for the 7 plus exams it is important to have a good understanding of what is expected from your child. Your child will have to sit an English exam and perform well in order to pass the 7 plus. Learning the words multiple spelling lists is therefore paramount. 

Preparing for the exam that will take your child into year 3 at their selected school, it is important that your child has competent knowledge of spelling lists from Key Stage 1 and advanced knowledge of spelling that are part of Key Stage 2. 

The Importance of spelling lists 

It is important to understand that the 7 plus exam has a fairly demanding command of basic spelling rules. 

A child must demonstrate that they have a good understanding of basic spellings on the age appropriate spelling lists, in order to score highly in the writing part of their assessment. In your child’s 7 plus preparation you must ensure that your child has a key understanding of basic year 1 and year 2 spelling lists and an intermediate knowledge of Year 3 spelling lists. Understanding these lists will enhance the overall performance of your child’s English exam.

Often people read words much better than they spell them. This is more prevalent in younger pupils. By the end of year 1, pupils should be able to read a large number of different words containing the Grapheme-phoneme Correspondence (GPC)  that they have learnt. What we mean by GPC is the ability to spell a phoneme (sound) to a grapheme (written representation), whether or not a child has seen the word before. When it comes to spelling, it is a different matter!

Spelling lists are important as they collate a number of useful and important words that your child will use to enhance their literacy skills. In the second section of the 7 Plus Exam your child will be expected to complete a creative writing task. To perform well your child will need to show that they can express their imagination and confidently use words that surpass their age group. 

7 plus spellings pop quiz. 

Have a go at our 7 plus short pop quiz. The quiz is 5 questions long and contains spellings that are from both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 spelling lists. 

The usefulness of spelling lists in the 7 plus exam.

The 7 plus English exam is written at Level 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum. Every entrance examination will differ slightly, but all will focus on reading comprehension, writing and spelling. Some also have separate listening, dictation or grammar examinations.

To excel in all areas that will be tested, your child’s knowledge of spelling lists for years 3, 4 and 5 are vital. The spelling lists are a mixture of words pupils often use in their writing and those which are commonly misspell. Some of the words that are featured in the lists can often be quite challenging for some children. Each of the spelling lists contain around 100 words and can easily be taught through time and practise.

You should continue your child’s use of phonics after Key Stage 1; teachers should still draw attention to GPCs that do and do not fit in with what your child has been taught so far. As your child’s spelling lists continue to develop in difficulty, it is important that your child develops an understanding of relationships between meaning and spelling where these are relevant. For example, understanding the relationship between medical and medicine may help pupils to spell the /s/ sound in medicine with the letter ‘c’. This is a useful tip in helping them to develop their spelling technique. 

By using these useful ways of teaching your child their spellings, your child will be able to articulate themselves better in all areas of their exam. This will then lead to a better performance and higher marks. 

Useful Links: 

Helping with spelling and grammar: http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/literacy/

Official Spelling Lists: https://bit.ly/3hLS4RU

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