Spelling begins in RWI sessions where children learn to hear the sounds in words and how to spell those sounds. Children also learn 'tricky' irregular words such as 'the' and 'was'. From Years 1 to 6, children also follow a spelling scheme with lessons twice a week.

As research shows that weekly spelling tests have little impact on improving children's spelling, lessons focus on how and why words are spelled the way they are. Children may be given the statutory spellings required for Years 3 to 6 to practise, or their own common misspellings.