Reading Statement
Phonics is taught in our Reception and Key Stage 1 classes in a highly structured, systematic programme of daily instruction. The phonics scheme that we use is Read, Write Inc Phonics. We group for phonics and our groupings are based on the child's phonological awareness and development. These sessions are supplemented by phonic activities and games, practical and online. Each taught session provides children with opportunities to revisit previous learning, be taught new skills, practise those skills and apply what they have learned. The children take home a 'Book Bag Book' , which is a reading book based on the phonic sounds that they are learning that week.
We assess the phonics level of the children half termly and adjust groupings as necessary, ensuring that children that are not making the progress that we would wish are given additional support.
The statutory phonics screening is performed in June of Year 1.
Further on in the school, children develop their reading through shared, guided and independent reading. In our Key Stage Two classes we use Reading Vipers (Vocabulary, Inference, Prediction, Explanation, Retrieval, Sequencing or Summarising) to help us teach the necessary reading skills.
We are following many of the DFE Reading Framework (2021). Our classes are language rich environments, where vocabulary is taught, explored and developed. Each class has dedicated storytime where teachers read to the class. Our library is extensive and each class has access to quality literature.
Following on from our synthetic phonics scheme, we adopt Read, Write Inc Spellings, which links the familiar phonics teaching to robust spelling practices.
Once our children are able capable of phonetically decoding books, they then proceed onto the Oxford Owl Reading Scheme, which builds up to books that challenge our higher ability Year 6 children. Children may also take home an additional book from the library.