🕒 How Long Should Testing Take?

One of the most common queries we receive relates to the duration of testing time in Spellings for Me. Here's everything you need to know to manage testing expectations, reduce unnecessary time on devices, and understand the real value behind each minute spent testing.

✅ Initial Testing: A One-Time Setup

When students log into Spellings for Me for the first time, they complete two key tests:

Initial Diagnostic Test

Placement Test

These are only ever taken once in their primary school journey. Combined, they typically take 10–15 minutes. Once done, students move to the yellow test stage that begins their personalised learning path.

⚠️ Don't Panic About the First Few Weeks

In the early stages of using Spellings for Me, teachers should not panic about time spent on the initial testing cycle. During this time:

Students can work through workbook activities

Focus on spelling strategies, morphology, etymology

Explore video lessons on phonetic concepts and spelling rules

This provides meaningful learning even before regular testing kicks in.

⏳ Recommended Testing Blocks

Avoid having students test in long, uninterrupted sessions. Here's what we recommend:

Testing sessions should last 25–30 minutes max

If more testing time is needed, break it into 2–3 blocks

Spread it across sessions over a week or even taking a break in between on the same day

❗ Long test sessions lead to fatigue and false errors. After 30 minutes, a student’s attention and accuracy drop.

🔎 Monitoring Monthly Test Time

After setup, regular monthly tests should not exceed one hour total for most students.

Ideal monthly test time: < 60 minutes

If a couple of students exceed this occasionally, that’s fine

If specific students consistently go over, further investigation is needed

🌟 What You Get in Return

Testing in Spellings for Me is not wasted time. Here's why it's worth every minute:

Each student receives a fully individualised list of words

Unlike traditional weekly spelling lists, students are only tested on what they don’t know

Teachers don’t have to correct tests — the system does it all automatically

Compare that to the standard 15-minute Friday spelling test done 4x a month. That’s an hour monthly, often spent on lists students already know.

✉️ Can I Skip a Student On?

Yes, you can manually skip a student up levels if they:

Consistently go over the hour in testing

Only miss 1–2 words per level

To do this:

Go to your Teacher Dashboard

Click the Actions button beside the student

Select Administration > Edit Level

Skip the student forward 10–15 levels if appropriate

⚠️ Use caution: Skipping too far ahead may bypass words they still need to learn.

🤔 What If a Student is Testing for "Too Long"?

Before assuming a student has been testing excessively:

Check their actual testing duration, not just login time

We often see students logged in for 90 minutes, but only testing for 55 minutes of that time

They may have been playing games, watching videos, or exploring other areas

🔹 Monitor the Test History to see true testing activity.

💬 Final Thought: Think Long-Term Value

Teachers sometimes worry students are "testing too long." But let’s remember:

You are delivering targeted instruction based on exact needs

You are saving time on corrections

You are not wasting effort on lists already mastered

Give the programme the time it needs — the results speak for themselves.

If you're unsure about any student’s progress, just send us their name(s) and we’ll take a look behind the scenes.

You're not on your own — we're here to help!