Phonics

STATEMENT OF INTENT

Our Phonics intent is that all children will become fluent and effective readers. Children will have the skills to access the wider curriculum and be able to use a range of rich vocabulary. Phonics sessions will support children to have the skills to develop that love of reading and become lifelong learners.

HOW WE TEACH PHONICS

At Sylvester Primary Academy, Phonics is taught daily using a systematic synthetic phonics approach using a scheme called Read Write Inc. Read Write Inc is a highly successful programme that we use in EYFS and KS1 to deliver phonics and guided reading. There are different elements to a Phonics session including a 20 minute speed sound lesson in which children learn to recognise a sound, a 10 minute writing part in which they apply the sound in the context of words/sentences and finally a 15 minute guided reading element in which children read a Read Write Inc text based on the sounds they have been learning. The reading books we send home are Read Write Inc books that match the sounds the children have been learning in school. Children will also bring home a ‘book of choice’, which allows them to share a high-quality text that interests them and helps create that love of reading.

DAILY PHONICS LESSONS

Phonics is taught on a daily basis at Sylvester. Each session lasts 45 minutes and takes place 9-9.45am.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

Children will learn and apply the sounds in the following order. Sounds are revisited and consolidated.

Set 1 Sounds: m,a,s,d,t,i,n,p,g,o,c,k,u,b,f,e,l,h,sh,r,j,v,y,w,th,z,ch,qu,x,ng, and nk.

Set 2 Sounds: ay,ee,igh,ow,oo,oo,ar,or,air,ir,ou and oy.

Set 3 Sounds: ea,oi,a-e,i-e,o-e,u-e,aw,are,ur,er,ow,ai,oa,ew,ire,ear and ure.

SEND ADAPTATIONS

Phonics lessons at Sylvester are fully inclusive and aim to meet the specific, individual needs of all children across the school. We aim to ensure that children with SEND are fully engaged and challenged in Phonics lessons. Children are placed into groups that are fluid and therefore children are accessing lessons at the right level of challenge for them. The structure of Read Write Inc can be beneficial for children with SEND as it is well structured, consistent and this helps children to understand and know what is expected of them. For those children who need it, additional Phonics support is put into place using Read Write Inc Fast Track Tutoring. This allows us to deliver short, regular interventions that support individuals on the specific element they need. In Key Stage 2 we deliver Fresh Start which follows the same format but provides children with age appropriate texts and resources.

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT

In line with the teaching of Reading we support our children to develop a love of with a variety of English Enrichment activities across the academic year. These enrichment activities include: Roald Dahl Day, World Poetry Day, World Book Day, an annual book fair and local library visits.

We regularly offer parent workshops/Stay and Play sessions to model to parents the strategies that we use in school so that they can better support their child on their Phonics/reading journey.