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Phonics

We recognise reading as a key life skill, which underpins access to the rest of the curriculum. We believe that phonics provides the foundations of learning and eases  development into fluent reading and writing. Through daily, systematic and consistent high-quality phonics teaching, children learn to segment words to support their spelling ability and learn to blend sounds to read words.We value reading for pleasure and encourage pupils to read for enjoyment; this starts with the foundations of acquiring letter sounds and blending these sounds to read new words. Children enjoy success and gain confidence from positive reading experiences.

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We aim for children to read words and simple sentences by the end of Reception; become successful, fluent readers by the end of Key Stage 1 and develop a lifelong love of reading as they move through school. 

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The systematic teaching of synthetic phonics, using the DfE’s approved Pearson’s Bug Club Phonics Scheme, is given a high priority throughout Early Years and Key Stage 1. 

INTENT

Through the teaching of phonics following the Bug Club Phonics Programme, the children are taught the essential skills needed for reading. 

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Phoneme Session
All children in the class attend the whole session.  Teachers can use the Bug Club online platform or create their  own slides but all the following areas must be covered:
 

IMPLEMENTATION 

YEAR GROUP EXPECTATIONS

Nursery 

  • Phase 1 Phonics is taught in nursery in a variety of ways:

    • through the continuous provision

    • in small groups;

    • during carpet sessions.

  • Some children may be ready for learning Phase 2 Phonics.  For those that are ready the Bug Club order should be used but the structure of the lesson is not required.

  • For those ready, blending and segmenting is also encouraged.

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Reception

  • Phonics is taught daily to all children in Reception following the Bug Club order and structur

  • Phonics is delivered in a whole-class carpet session.

  • All children are in the session, those who require support need to be seated close to the TA.

  • Activities to support phonics will always be within the continuous provision.

  • Phonics is an integrated part of all learning in Reception. Children should be making links across the Early Years Curriculum as they explore the environment. 

  • Those children who require extra support may have intervention groups or support within the environment.

  • Teachers regularly assess children’s phonics knowledge.These regular assessments inform planning and allow teachers to identify any gaps in learning. 

  • By the end of the year children should be confident with phases 1-4

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Year 1

  • Phonics is taught daily to all children in Year 1 following the Bug Club order and structure.

  • Phonics is delivered in a whole class carpet session.

  • All children are in the session; those who require support need to be sat by the class teaching assistant.

  • Those children who require extra support will receive extra intervention.

  • Teachers regularly assess children’s phonics knowledge. These regular assessments inform planning and allow teachers to identify any gaps in learning. 

  • By the end  of the year children should be confident with Phonics Phases 1-5

  • Children who are confident in Phase 5 Phonics as well as  reading and showing a secure understanding of orange books - can move onto turquoise books.

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Year 2

  • Leaders will support the Year 2 teachers in identifying if whole class regular phonics sessions are required. This could look different for each cohort.

  • Most Year 2 cohorts will continue to run daily phonics up to October half term. This will allow gaps to be targeted and teachers to confidently gauge phonological knowledge.

  • From Term 2 onwards phonics revision will become part of the reading structure.

  • Phase 6 Phonics will be taught through SPAG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) lessons.

Extra support is provided to those in Year 2 (and in Key Stage 2 where appropriate) who have not passed or just passed the phonics screening test.  In Year 1, interventions are planned for those children who are working below expected levels.

INTERVENTION 

PHONICS & READING BOOKS

Reading At Home:
Children will all have a book to take home from school that matches their phonic ability.
Phonics books are banded into phases and the book they take home will match the phase the child is working within.
The child’s book may have some new sounds within the phase that they have not learnt but will not have sounds from the next phase.
Pupils are encouraged to pick a reading for pleasure book which is not attached to their phonic phase but something they can enjoy at home with their carers.

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Reading in School:

  • Class Reading:

    • In group, paired  or class reading texts will be selected to match the stage of phonics the class is currently covering.

    • This may not match an individual child’s phonic level but exposes all children to the expected standard.

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  • Individual Readers:

    • Teachers, TAs and volunteers hearing individual readers will select books that are matched to the child's phonic phase.

IMPACT

As a result of high quality phonics provision, children make good progress from their starting points. The vast majority are ready for the next stage in their education as they transfer through Early Years, Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2. Many children accelerate progress during these years from baseline below ARE (ag-related expectations) to meeting expectations in phonics, reading and writing. Children enjoy listening to adults read and develop a love of reading, gaining satisfaction from their growing success in developing independence and fluency. 

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We firmly believe that reading is the key to all learning and so the impact of our phonics and reading curriculum goes beyond the results of the statutory assessments and can be seen in success across the curriculum as children progress through school.
 

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