Phonics Curriculum
Intent
‘Reading is fundamental to education. Proficiency in reading, writing and spoken language is vital for pupils’ success. Through these, they develop communication skills for education and for working with others: in school, in training and at work’. Reading Framework.
We understand the importance of early reading and how this can be the foundation to lifelong learning. We recognise that through reading, children can access other areas of the curriculum with more ease and confidence, enabling them to discover and interrupt information, that will enrich their learning further. We strive to ensure that all children become confident, fluent readers who are imaginative, articulate and most importantly, enjoy reading for pleasure.
Implementation
At St Clare’s Catholic Primary School, phonics is taught daily using a structured and systematic programme called Read, Write, Inc. Children within Reception and Key Stage 1 access phonics through small group sessions that are tailored to children’s specific reading skills. In EYFS, the children are taught to pronounce single sounds (phonemes) correctly and learn how to blend and segment written sounds into words. As children move progressively through the programme, children are taught graphemes, diagraphs and trigraphs that will enable them to decode familiar and unfamiliar words in stories that are appropriate to their stage of development. Children are taught to read High Frequency Words confidently to ensure fluency in their reading as well as key comprehension skills that will ensure children understand a range of texts.
Children’s sound knowledge, word reading and fluency is assessed regularly to ensure each child is at the appropriate reading level that meets their stage of development. Children who are identified as needing extra support, receive daily 1:1 phonics intervention to ensure that their support is individualised.
Home reading is encouraged daily to develop child’s reading skills, fluency, and comprehension. Home/School reading records are used to ensure dialog between teachers and parents is consistent to help children progress, this also gives parents/carers the opportunity to ask questions about their child’s reading journey.
Impact
Children accessing the RWI phonics programme will:
- Show good progress in their reading throughout the programme.
- Able to confidently decode familiar and unfamiliar words.
- Able to read common exception words, within a range of texts.
- Show good levels of fluency when reading.
- Be able to understand texts that they have read or have listened to by answering questions.
- Show an enjoyment for reading both in school and at home.