Phonics
Phonics
All teachers have the highest expectation that children will become confident, proficient readers by the end of Key Stage 1 through our consistent implementation of our chosen Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) Programme Read Write Inc:
Intent
The intent behind our phonics approach is to:
- Deliver a high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programme of proven effectiveness, followed with rigour and fidelity so that children are taught consistently to use phonics as the route to reading unknown words.
- Ensure that children are taught at their exact level through regular accurate assessments. Provide daily tutoring to ensure that all children make good or better progress.
- Pace of the phonics programme is maintained through high quality teaching and ongoing coaching and assessment by a trained reading lead so that children become confident, fluent and independent readers.
- Ensure children’s reading books show a cumulative progression in phonics knowledge that match the grapheme-phoneme correspondences they know to support decoding skills, building fluency.
Implementation
Phonics is implemented through the Read Write Inc programme.
Daily phonics lessons in Reception and KS1
We teach phonics from the Summer Term in Nursery and use the Read Write Inc expectations of progress document to ensure that children keep on track. children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school.
We teach phonics for 50 minutes a day. In Reception, we build from 10-minute lessons, with additional daily oral blending games, to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible.
Assessment and one to one tutoring
Children are taught phonics in groups according to their reading level rather than their year group. This means that children are always taught at their exact level to maximise progress. Our reading leader assesses children at least every 6 weeks to ensure that children are in the correct group and making good or better progress.
Children that are not keeping up with the expectations of progress are given daily one to one tutoring. Our tutors are all fully trained and also have regular coaching by our reading leader and external consultant trainer. We follow the RWI Fast Track Tutoring document which ensures that our interventions are high quality.
Regular progress meetings are held with all reading teachers in order to monitor the children that they teach and their progress.
Using the RWI scheme means that if children join our school at different points during the year there is always an appropriate group for them to join. Children are always assessed within the two weeks of arriving at our school and swiftly moved into a group so that they can start or continue their reading journey.
Teaching reading: Reading at home
Within their RWI sessions children begin to read books as soon as they learn to blend. Children read books matched to the children’s secure phonic knowledge using the RWI assessments.
Children take home a decodable RWI reading book so that success can be shared with the family. They also take home a RWI book bag book which is a new book but also matched to the child’s phonics knowledge.
We engage our families and share information about phonics and how children learn to blend and other aspects of our provision, both online and through workshops.
Ensuring consistency and pace of progress
Every teacher in our school has been trained to teach early reading by RWI so we have the same expectations of progress. We use the same language, routines and resources to teach children to read so that we lower children’s cognitive load.
We use resources on Oxford Owl to support our lessons as well as the Ruth Miskin school portal in order to keep up with current training.
The Reading Leader and SLT regularly monitor and observe teaching and track progress rigorously. The reading leader also has time in order to coach alongside our reading teachers, carry out training sessions and regularly assess.
Phonics in KS2
If child is still learning to read in KS2 they access RWI lessons in Y3/4 and Y5/6 we also have the Fresh Start intervention in place. WE are determined that every child leaves are school being able to read.
Impact
- Our Phonics screening results have been above national averages since 2018.
- Our reading teachers are confident and highly skilled in delivering the RWI programme.
- Children enjoy their RWI lessons.
What our children say about reading:
"I love our library, there are so many books I have not read before"
"I like being a librarian because the library is a fun and inspirational place."
I love reading the blurb to find out more about books. I love visiting our school library as there are so many nice books.
"I know lots of special friends, I love the RWInc lessons"
What our parents say about reading:
"My child loves to read her school books at home"
"I have noticed a big difference in my child's reading since starting at Friarage."
"They love to read to the volunteers in school!"
Further information for parents
- Ruth Miskin – Read Write Inc. – Parents Information
- How we teach Read Write Inc at Friarage
- Key Terms of Read Write Inc
- Top Ten Tips for Reading Stories to Your Child
- Handwriting Phrases for Helping Your Child Form Letters
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