Phonics and early reading

At Shelton Infant School we believe that for all our children to become fluent readers and writers, phonics must be taught through a systematic and structured phonics programme. 

We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to plan and provide daily phonics lessons. Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised is a complete systematic synthetic phonics programme which has been developed by schools for schools. It is validated by the Department for Education.

In phonics, we teach children that the letters of the alphabet represent a different sound and that these can be used in a variety of different combinations to make words. The children learn to recognise all of the different sounds and combinations that they might see when they are reading or writing. Our phonics teaching starts as soon as the children join us in Nursery and follows a very specific sequence that allows the children to build on their previous phonic knowledge and master specific phonic strategies as they move through school.

 High-quality phonics teaching helps children develop their reading, writing, spelling and general communication skills. It helps secure the crucial skills of word recognition that enable children to read fluently, allowing them to concentrate on the meaning of the text.

 How we teach phonics

• In Nursery, children are introduced to phonics through "Foundations for Phonics".  This is Little Wandle's recommended approach for Nursery children.
• In Reception and Year 1, children follow the progression within the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme. Phonics is taught daily, with a review session each Friday.  
• In Year 2,  phonic lessons are taught daily to children where appropriate – following the model of Little Wandle through the use of their ‘Keep Up’ and/or 'Rapid Catch Up' interventions. 

 Reading practice sessions

• Whilst children are following the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme they apply their phonics knowledge by using a fully matched decodable reading book in a small group reading practice session.
• These sessions are 15 minutes long and happen three times a week. There are approximately 6 children in a group.
• These sessions follow the model set out in Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised.
• The children then take a copy of this book home for a week so that they can practise at home.

 How do we assess phonic knowledge?

• In Reception and Year 1, at the end of each week there is a review session which recaps the learning. There are also whole review weeks (pre-planned and bespoke review weeks to address gaps identified by the class teacher’s ongoing formative assessment).
• Children identified in Reception and Year 1 who may be falling behind are immediately identified and daily ‘keep up’ sessions are put in place – sessions follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme.
• In Reception and Year 1, the children are assessed at the end of every half term using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised assessment tracker.
• In Year 1, children will take the national Phonics Screening Check in the summer term (June). Parents of Year 1 pupils are invited to a Phonics meeting each year to find out more information about the Phonics Check and to look at past test papers.
• Children who do not pass the Phonics Screening Check in Year 1, will re-sit this in the summer term of Year 2 (June).

Further information about how to support your child with phonics and early reading at home can be found by clicking the link below which will take you to the parent pages of the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised website: https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

If you have any queries or questions relating to Phonics or Early Reading at Shelton Infant School, please contact Mrs Lisa Sutton or Mr Dan Smith (English Leads) either by phoning school (01332 700353) or by email – dsmith@sheltoni.derby.sch.uk  Lsutton@sheltoni.derby.sch.uk 

Click here to view the Year 1 Phonics Check presentation. 

Click here to view the Phonics For Parents Workshop presentation.