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Phonics: Our pupils learn to read and write effectively and quickly using the Read Write Inc. Phonics programme.

 

The programme is for:

• Pupils in EYFS to Year 2 who are learning to read and write.
• Any pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 who need to catch up rapidly.
• Struggling readers in Years 5 and 6 follow Read Write Inc. Fresh Start.

 

In Read Write Inc. Phonics pupils:

• Decode letter-sound correspondences quickly and effortlessly, using their phonic knowledge and skills.
• Read common exception words on sight.
• Understand what they read.
• Read aloud with fluency and expression.
• Write confidently, with a strong focus on vocabulary and grammar.
• Spell quickly and easily by segmenting the sounds in words.
• Acquire good handwriting.

 

In addition, we teach pupils to work effectively with a partner to explain and consolidate  what they are learning. This provides the teacher with opportunities to assess learning and to pick up on difficulties, such as pupils’ poor articulation, or problems with blending or alphabetic code knowledge.

 

We group pupils homogeneously, according to their progress in reading rather than their writing. This is because it is known that pupils’ progress in writing will lag behind progress in reading, especially for those whose motor skills are less well developed.

 

In Reception we emphasise the alphabetic code. The pupils rapidly learn sounds and the letter or groups of letters they need to represent them. Simple mnemonics help them to grasp this quickly. This is especially useful for pupils at risk of making slower progress. This learning is consolidated daily. Pupils have frequent practice in reading high frequency words with irregular spellings – common exception words.

 

We make sure that pupils read books that are closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and the common exception words. This is so that, early on, they experience success and gain confidence that they are readers. Re-reading and discussing these books with the teacher supports their increasingly fluent decoding.

 

Alongside this, the teachers read a wide range of stories, poetry and non-fiction to pupils; they are soon able to read these texts for themselves. This occurs in additional Reading Skills and Story Time lessons.

 

Embedding the alphabetic code early on means that pupils quickly learn to write simple words and sentences. We encourage them to compose each sentence aloud until they are confident to write independently. We make sure they write every day.

 

Pupils write at the level of their spelling knowledge. The quality of the vocabulary they use in their writing reflects the language they have heard in the books the teacher has read to them; they have also discussed what the words mean.

 

Our aim is for pupils to complete the phonics programme as quickly as possible. The sooner they complete it, the sooner they will be able to choose books to read at their own interest and comprehension level.

 

Recommended Reads

 

​EYFS BOOKS    RECEPTION BOOKS    YEAR 1 BOOKS    YEAR 2 BOOKS

 

​YEAR 3 BOOKS    YEAR 4 BOOKS    YEAR 5 BOOKS    YEAR 6 BOOKS