Victoria Road Primary School
Phonics
Children from Reception to Year 2 are taught phonics daily using Little Wandle Letters and Sounds. It is an approach which aims to build children’s speaking and listening skills in their own right as well as prepare children for learning to read by developing their phonic knowledge and skills. It sets out a detailed and systematic programme for phonics teaching. Click on the links below for further information.
Children are regularity assessed by the class teacher and phonics lead when necessary to determine the current phase they are working on. Children access high-quality, engaging and practical sessions with additional intervention throughout the day if required and are encouraged to link their phonics skills in both reading and writing.
See further guidance below for parents around the phonics screening check and the progression of phonics through the Letters and Sounds Scheme.
PHONICS AT VICTORIA ROAD PRIMARY SCHOOL
INTENT
At Victoria Road, we value reading and writing as a key life skill and therefore phonics is one essential strategy that we feel supports the children in developing this. We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds to deliver a synthetic phonics programme. As part of this, children have daily phonics sessions in small groups or whole classes, where they participate in speaking, listening and spelling activities that are matched to their developing needs. The teachers draw upon observations and continuous assessment to ensure children are stretched and challenged and to identify children who may need additional support. Children work through the different phases, learning and developing their phonics sounds and knowledge.
DESIGN/IMPLEMENTATION
Phonics is taught in a highly structured programme of daily lessons across EYFS and KS1 in groups differentiated according to children’s phonic awareness and development.
Our phonics delivery aims to deliver the following progression of phases:
- EYFS – Phase 2, 3 and 4. We aim for pupils to leave EYFS ready for Phase 5.
- Year 1 – Phase 5 (revisit previous phases if needed depending on individual needs).
- Year 2 – Phase 6 (revisit previous phases if needed depending on individual needs). After Christmas if still required - Rapid Catch Up Programme.
See Progression Document for detail of what is taught in each phase.
Each session gives an opportunity for children to revisit their previous experience, be taught new skills, practise together and apply what they have learned.
All adults that deliver phonics have accessed phonics training and continuously reflect on their practice through learning walks and other CPD opportunities.
IMPACT
Children’s progress is continually reviewed to allow for movement between groups working at different paces, and to meet individual needs. Children are formally assessed at least termly.
The national Phonics screening check is performed in June of Year 1. Prior to this, the Year 1 phonics evening gives parent’s information about how they can support their children at home with phonics. The purpose of the screening check is to confirm that all children have learned phonic decoding to an age-appropriate standard. The children who did not meet the required standard for the check in year 1 enter again in year 2 with additional support. As children enter KS2, provision is made for those children still requiring daily phonics through precision teaching.