In Reception, children have a daily Sounds-Write phonics lesson.
The programme teaches phonemes systematically. All staff are aware of the order that sounds are taught which means they can check phoneme-awareness in a variety of contexts (e.g. looking for the ‘s’ in the ‘sandpit’ sign) and in continuous provision (e.g. going to find hidden sounds in the garden).
The sounds-write programme teaches blending, segmenting and manipulating phonemes from Unit 1 so children practice these skills from the beginning of the year.
Children are taught to recognise some of the most frequently read tricky words as well as polysyllabic words.
In KS1, children continue to follow the Sounds-Write phonics programme which is taught daily.
In these sessions, they systematically develop their phonological awareness and apply this knowledge to reading and writing.
Lessons build upon skills that children have learnt in the EYFS. They will continue to blend, segment and manipulate phonemes, with the complexity of the words and syllables continuously increasing.
Throughout KS1, children will explore all sound/ spelling correspondences so that they are able to write anything using (plausible) phonics.
Children will gradually build up their knowledge of how words are spelled in English, focusing initially on common tricky words, such as the, all, said.
Children who need additional support to develop their phonics knowledge in the EYFS and across KS1 are identified and targeted for intervention.
All reading books are matched to children's current stage of phonic knowledge.
