swipsthegame.co.uk

What It Is

Swips the game is a physical card game designed to help children learn English spelling, positioned as a “2-in-1” educational game. It is not an online course; instead, it uses multiplayer card-based gameplay to let children practise Red List spelling words related to Year 6 SATs in the UK National Curriculum. The product emphasizes “hidden learning,” allowing students to complete spelling practice through interaction without feeling that they are being explicitly taught.

Core Design

The core approach of Swips is to break words down using colours, patterns, symbols, hidden words, and syllables, helping children observe spelling patterns rather than simply memorizing words by rote. Each deck supports two games: Swips Read focuses on recognizing patterns and syllables and playing cards quickly, while Swips Spell requires players to spell words based on clues, with correct answers winning cards. The game supports 2–4 players and is suitable for families, peer groups, or classroom activities.

Content and Pricing

The currently available information shows that Red List Spellings Deck 1 and Deck 2 each contain 50 words from the statutory Year 6 SATs word list; together, the two decks cover 100 words. A single deck costs £12, while the Deck 1 & 2 bundle costs £20, making it a one-time purchase physical teaching resource. The website does not disclose information about shipping fees, international delivery, payment methods, or related details.

Pros and Cons

The strengths are its clear learning goals, lightweight gameplay, reusability, and the educational background of its developer, Sarah Guest. She is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for postgraduate studies at the University of Chester, with a long-standing focus on specific learning difficulties, especially students with dyslexia. This gives the product a degree of credibility in terms of offering an alternative to a pure phonics route and supporting multisensory memory.

The limitations are also fairly clear: it is mainly built around the UK curriculum, so parents or teachers of learners in China or outside the UK system will need to judge the suitability of the word lists themselves. The website does not show a structured curriculum, learning assessments, progress tracking, or certificates. The product pages currently have no formal reviews, and evidence of effectiveness appears to come mostly from a small number of testimonials.

Who It’s For and Access from China

It is better suited to Year 5/6 learners, Key Stage 3 students with weaker spelling skills, EAL students, and children who show little interest in traditional spelling practice or may have tendencies toward reading and writing difficulties. Chinese users considering it for early English learning or extracurricular support should note that the word list is aligned with the British curriculum. Access status from China cannot be determined from the text alone, so it should be marked as unknown.