Phonics and Reading

 Phonics and Reading

At Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy we are firm believers in reading for enjoyment and to become life-long learners.

Learning to read begins with a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics, which continues through Early Years, Year 1 and Year 2.

There are 6 phases in phonic progression beginning with phase 1, in which children explore many different sounds in order to develop their listening skills through to phase 6, in which children read much longer texts for fluency and meaning.

In Early Years and Key stage 1 pupils have a daily 20 minute phonics session, which we teach using the ‘Letters & Sounds’ scheme.

As children move through Year 2 and then throughout Key Stage 2 pupils learn different spelling patterns and rules according to the National Curriculum 2014.

Each September we hold an introductory workshop for Reception parents, together with a range of phonics ideas, to illustrate first-hand how children are taught to read and write in the early years of school. Further workshops are also held throughout the school focusing on the key priorities for reading.

At Robert Wilkinson Primary Academy reading practice takes many forms:

Individual reading to an adult using a variety of school based resources. For example Phonics Bugs, Rigby Star, Songbirds, Jelly and Bean, Oxford Reading Tree schemes or from the home reading book boxes;

Silent reading followed by a comprehension activites to explore understanding;

Guided Reading in small groups with a teacher or teaching assistant to teach specific skills;

Paired reading with another child;

Whole class reading of texts aloud;

Listening to class stories read by the teacher.

Children read texts (fiction and non-fiction) from books and screens.  Each classroom has access to a range of reading materials.  Pupils regularly use reading journals to record their thoughts, ideas and understanding of their reading. Reading is set as regular homework, and Reading Records are used to enable parents and teachers to record progress made, thus facilitating the transfer of information between home and school.  Reading is regularly celebrated at school in many ways including children gaining raffle tickets which are then entered into a ‘reading raffle’.

Letter and Sounds Guidance