Phonics

Learning to read at High Street

At High Street Community Primary School, we believe that learning to read is one of the most important things a child will ever learn. Reading opens the door to the whole curriculum and gives children the confidence and independence to become lifelong learners.

We want every child to become an accurate, fluent and enthusiastic reader. We therefore place a high priority on the teaching of early reading and phonics.

We use Read Write Inc. Phonics (RWI) as our systematic synthetic phonics programme. Children learn to read sounds, blend them together to read words and apply their growing phonic knowledge to spelling and writing. RWI combines phonics with reading, writing, spelling and spoken language.

Our reading journey begins in Nursery

Children's journey towards becoming confident readers begins before formal phonics teaching.

In Nursery, we develop children's love of books, stories, rhymes, poems and songs. Children are encouraged to listen carefully, join in, talk about stories and develop their vocabulary.

Through playful oral activities, children begin to hear and identify sounds within words and develop the oral blending skills that prepare them for phonics.

During the Summer term, before children move into Reception, they are introduced to Read Write Inc. (RWI). Children become familiar with the pictures and rhymes associated with the letter sounds and begin to learn some of the Set 1 sounds. This provides a strong foundation for their phonics learning when they begin Reception.

Read Write Inc. in Reception

In Reception, children continue their Read Write Inc. phonics journey or, if they are new to the school, they begin their journey with us.

Children learn to:

• read Set 1 Speed Sounds and form the corresponding letters correctly;
• use Fred Talk to hear individual sounds in words and blend them together;
• read words containing the sounds they have been taught;
• recognise Special Friends - two or three letters that make one sound;
• develop increasingly accurate and fluent reading;
• spell words using their phonic knowledge;
• apply their phonics to their independent reading and writing.

As children's phonic knowledge develops, they move on to Set 2 and Set 3 Speed Sounds and increasingly complex texts.

Meet Fred!

Fred the Frog can only speak in sounds!

Fred might say:  c-a-t -> cat     sh-i-p -> ship     l-igh-t -> light

We call this Fred Talk. It helps children learn how to blend sounds together to read words.

Read Write Inc. in Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1, children continue to follow the Read Write Inc. programme, building on the strong foundations established in Reception.

Children continue to develop their knowledge of Set 2 and Set 3 sounds, applying these increasingly confidently when reading and writing. They read carefully matched RWI texts which allow them to practise the sounds and words they know while developing accuracy, fluency and comprehension.

Children who need additional support benefit from our dedicated Key Stage 1 one-to-one phonics tutor. Targeted tutoring gives children additional opportunities to revisit and consolidate the sounds and skills they need, helping them to keep up with their peers.

Once children have completed the Read Write Inc. programme and are reading accurately and fluently, they move on to our wider reading curriculum, where the focus increasingly shifts towards fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

Phonics Screening Check

Children in Year 1 complete the statutory Phonics Screening Check.

The check assesses whether children can use their phonics knowledge to decode a selection of real and pseudo-words.

Throughout Year 1, children continue to build their phonic knowledge and develop the accuracy and fluency needed to become confident readers.

You can find out more here: Phonics Screening Check

Phonics Support in Key Stage 2

We recognise that children develop their reading skills at different rates. Phonics support continues for as long as a child needs it, with provision adapted as children move through Key Stage 2.

Year 3 & 4

Children who have not yet secured the phonic knowledge and decoding skills they need continue to access phonics teaching, alongside additional targeted one-to-one tutoring where required. Progress is carefully monitored so that teaching focuses on the gaps children need to secure.

Years 5 & 6

Children who continue to need support with decoding and reading fluency access Read Write Inc. Fresh Start. This provides age-appropriate, targeted teaching to help older pupils develop the reading and writing skills they need to access the wider curriculum successfully.

What does a Read Write Inc. lesson look like?

Children take part in a daily RWI lesson.

Lessons are lively, interactive and carefully structured. Children practise previously taught sounds, learn new sounds, read words using their phonic knowledge and develop fluency through carefully matched books.

Talk is an important part of every lesson. Children practise with partners, respond together and have lots of opportunities to rehearse their learning.

What will children read?

It is really important that children practise reading books containing sounds they already know.

Children therefore read carefully matched RWI books which allow them to practise their developing phonic knowledge successfully. Children take home their decodable phonics book each Friday so that they can practise at home using the sounds they have been taught.

Children are not expected to guess unfamiliar words from pictures or context when reading their decodable phonics book. They are taught to use the sounds they know to decode the word.

As their phonic knowledge and fluency increase, the books they read become progressively more challenging.

Alongside their phonics book, children also take home a Reading for Pleasure book. This book is chosen to be shared and enjoyed with their family. It is not expected to be fully decodable or read independently by the child; its purpose is to encourage children and families to enjoy stories together, talk about books and develop vocabulary and a lifelong love of reading.

Assessment and Grouping

We assess children's phonics every half term or more frequently if required so that teaching is closely matched to what they need to learn next.

Children are grouped according to their current phonic knowledge and reading development, rather than simply their age or class. This allows children to work at an appropriate level of challenge and make strong progress.

Groups are flexible and change as children progress.

Keeping up, not catching up

We want every child to learn to read successfully.

Teachers continually check children's understanding during lessons and through regular assessment. If a child needs additional support, we identify this quickly and provide extra practice and targeted support.

In Key Stage 1, our dedicated one-to-one phonics tutor provides targeted support for children who need additional practice. Children receive additional opportunities to revisit and consolidate the sounds and skills they need while continuing to participate in their daily phonics teaching.

Using RWI, children learn to read accurately and fluently so that they can increasingly focus their attention on understanding what they read. They also learn to use their knowledge of sounds when spelling, enabling them to focus increasingly on composing and developing their writing. Children are taught simple and memorable ways of learning the relationship between sounds and letters.

Supporting your child at home

Parents and carers are an important part of their child's reading journey. We ask families to read with their child at least four to five times each week and record this in their child's reading diary.

Children take home their decodable phonics book each Friday alongside a Reading for Pleasure book to share and enjoy with their family.

Each week, we send home RWI videos through ClassDojo linked to the sounds children have been learning in school. We encourage families to watch and practise these together so that children can consolidate their learning at home.

Throughout the year, we hold evening phonics workshops for parents and carers. These provide an opportunity to find out how we teach phonics at High Street, understand RWI terminology and strategies, and learn practical ways to support reading at home. We strongly encourage parents and carers to attend these sessions.

Regular reading and practice at home, alongside the teaching and support children receive in school, helps children develop the accuracy, fluency and confidence they need to become successful readers.

Some RWI words you might hear at home

Useful Parent Information:

Files available to download:

• Reading at Home Booklet x 2
• Top Tips for Reading at Home
• Fred Games
• Handwriting Rhymes

Videos with further information:

• How to help your child learn the sounds
• Sound blending
• Special Friends and digraphs
• How to listen to your child read
• Handwriting

Files to Download