IMPLEMENTATION
We follow Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a systematic synthetic phonics programme that provides a clear progression of sounds and the knowledge and skills children need to become successful readers and writers.
Children in Reception and Year 1 receive daily, high-quality phonics lessons. New phonemes and graphemes are introduced systematically, with children given regular opportunities to practise, apply and revisit their learning.
Our teaching follows a consistent structure so that children know what to expect and can focus on developing their phonics knowledge.
Lessons include opportunities to:
-
Learn and revisit phonemes and graphemes
-
Practise blending sounds to read words
-
Develop accurate segmenting for spelling
-
Read and write words containing the sounds they have learned
-
Apply phonics knowledge when reading sentences and books
-
Develop fluency and accuracy through regular practice
A key part of our approach is a matched reading strategy. Children take home books that are carefully matched to the phonics they have been taught, allowing them to practise reading successfully and develop fluency and confidence. We believe that children should experience the joy of reading books independently, without encountering words containing phonics patterns they have not yet learned.
Alongside phonics lessons, children enjoy daily opportunities to share and listen to high-quality stories and texts. This develops vocabulary, comprehension, imagination and a love of reading, ensuring that our reading curriculum extends beyond phonics.
We regularly assess children's phonics knowledge and use this information to identify gaps and provide appropriate support. Where children need additional practice, 'keep-up' support is provided promptly, enabling them to revisit key learning and keep pace with their peers wherever possible.
Our staff receive appropriate training and work collaboratively to ensure that phonics teaching is delivered consistently across the school. We place a strong emphasis on developing teacher knowledge and confidence so that all children receive high-quality phonics teaching.