Phonics at Parkfield

Aims: We aim to teach high quality phonics to ensure the children have the best start possible in reading and writing.

Phonics is the beginning of the children's body of knowledge, skills and understanding that are an essential part of learning to read and write. In order to read and understand texts children must learn to recognise/decode the words on the page. Good quality phonic teaching secures the skills of word recognition and decoding which allow children to read fluently. This will result in children being able to read for pleasure, then move onto children developing comprehension skills. These phonic skills need to be taught systematically.

Our phonics planning is: - Time limited, such that all children should be fluent and confident readers by the end of Key Stage One. Children learn phonic skills best in the first few years of school. We use the Read W rite Inc Programme. - It follows a planned programme, building on previous learning to secure progress. - It is taught daily for 25 minutes. - It reinforces and applies acquired phonic knowledge and skills as they progress through their phonics. Expectations within Parkfield Primary School Reception:- Children start by using the Read Write Inc programme in their reception year. The actions for sounds are taught to the children. The actions are used to increase the children's confidence and prompt them whilst writing. Set 1 sounds are to be completed by the end of Reception. Children to be secure in these sounds and be having a good go at blending simple C V C words. All of the 45 reception words to be recognised.

Year 1:- During year 1 children will continue the Read W rite Inc programme and compete set 2 sounds. By the end of year one children should be confident with set 2 sounds. Year 2:- Children will complete the set 3 sounds. Children to be using these sounds in their spellings and sentences. We will continuously practise and revisit all sounds to ensure consolidation. The children are encouraged to put sounds into the context of their writing and given opportunities to use their phonic knowledge in their independent writing across all subjects.

KS2:- Children who have not achieved set 3 sounds by the end of year 2 need to be taught this through intervention programmes in year 3.

Assessment: Assessments are updated half termly on each child's phonics tracking sheet. Children will be tested using: - Weekly spelling tests - Daily sentence work - Reading of blends, tricky words and nonsense words.

What we do if we feel a child is not making progress? - Try something else e.g. Letters and Sounds, Jolly Phonics or regular support where needed.