Phonics are the sounds that letters make, which allow us to read and to spell. Learning to read is the most important thing your child will learn at our school. Everything else depends on it, so we put as much energy as we possibly can into making sure that every single child learns to read as quickly as possible. We want your child to love reading – and to want to read for themselves. This is why we put our efforts into making sure they develop a love of books as well as simply learning to read.
The programme that we use to teach your child to read and spell is called Read Write Inc. It has had a dramtic effect on our children's learning. Clicking on the link at the bottom of the page will allow you to see how well our children do in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check.
How will my child be taught to read?
We start by teaching phonics to the children in the Reception class. This means that they learn how to ‘read’ the sounds in words and how those sounds can be written down. This is essential for reading, but it also helps children learn to spell well.
We teach the children simple ways of remembering these sounds and letters. The children also practise reading (and spelling) what we call ‘tricky words’, such as ‘once,’ ‘have,’ ‘said’ and ‘where’. The children practise their reading with books that match the phonics and the ‘tricky words’ they know. They start thinking that they can read and this does wonders for their confidence. The teachers read to the children, too, so the children get to know all sorts of stories, poetry and information books. They learn many more words this way and it also helps their writing. Alongside this, your child will be able to bring home 'real' books that are at a suitable ability for your child to read at home with you.
Children who join the school throughout the year are quickly assessed and put in the correct group according to their phonics ability.
What can I do to help?
Visit the website below to hear the phoneme (sounds) pronunciation guide:
Visit the website below to learn more about how Read Write Inc Works:
Ruth Miskin, the founder of Read Write Inc, has some top tips for parents in supporting their children. Visit the link below to find out more:
For our school's results for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, see below.