Phonics
"Children learn to read, so they can read to learn"
At St John’s Primary School we use Read Write Inc. to teach reading. Children are taught daily, in small groups from Reception upwards. The small groups ensure all children are taught at the appropriate level, which results in good progress being made. Children are assessed regularly, we have a 'keep up' not 'catch up' approach, sometimes children benefit from additional one to one interventions to help them make accelerated progress.
We are proud of the progress our children make in reading. In 2023, 95% of our Year 1 children passed their phonics screening test.
When children have securely moved off the RWI programme they begin their daily comprehension lessons. Children are taught how to retrieve information from the text, discuss the meaning of vocabulary, answer inference questions, predict what will happen next and sequence events. During reading lessons we develop fluency by using a variety of strategies including 'jump in' where the teacher pauses and the children say the following word. We teach and monitor fluency throughout school. If children are not fluent interventions are put in place.
We believe fundamentally that children are wired to thrive on repetition, and that this repetition feeds their confidence and ability to succeed.
Our main aim, is to teach children to decode texts effortlessly, so that all their resources can be used to comprehend what they read - spell effortlessly, so that all their resources can be directed towards composing their writing.
It is the energy, enthusiasm and passion that group leaders put into the lessons that brings the teaching and learning to life!
Content and Sequence Supports Progress
All staff are highly trained in delivering the Read, Write, Inc Phonic programme.
- Information for parents, relating to the programme, can be found by accessing the following link: http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents/
The programme has a strong focus on teaching children to know and remember more. Children are taught daily, in small groups, from Reception upwards. The small groups children are in ensure that all children are taught at their appropriate level, which results in good progress being made. The RWI programme supports the teach simply model:
Review/ Revisit- Previously taught sounds and words are continuously reviewed and revisited at the beginning of every RWI Phonics lesson.
Teach Simply – Children are taught a new sound following the same sequence daily.
Practice Thoroughly- Children have the opportunity to practise reading the sound in words, including multi-syllabic words.
Apply- Children apply reading their new sounds in alien words and in closely matched, phonically decodable books.
Assess- Children are regularly assessed by the Reading Leader. Teachers assess throughout the lesson to check that children understand. ‘Spotlight children’ (children who are not making as much progress as the rest) are sat in the focus of the teacher, to ensure they don’t get left behind.
Although our intention is for children to ‘keep up’, not ‘catch up’, if the Reading Leader identifies that any children are falling behind, plans are immediately put in place to support catch up. If needed, children are also assessed in KS2. Children in Foundation Stage- to Y4 have RWI Phonics lessons, if needed. In Y5 and Y6 we use Fresh Start.
Please click on the grid below to see how we want children to progress through the RWI programme and what we expect them to know by the end of Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2.
Pupils Falling Behind Catch Up Quickly
The Reading Leader quickly identifies children who are falling behind and discusses them with the class teacher. Children are assessed every half term, but they can be assessed sooner than this, if the Reading Leader and Reading Teacher thinks this is necessary. The Reading Leader puts together a support plan for these children and shares these with the teachers and teaching assistants. These support plans include five layers of provision to be put in place for children.
- The daily phonics lesson is taught robustly.
- The child has 1:1 daily phonics tutoring every afternoon. This is delivered by a trained phonics tutor.
- Virtual classroom links (extra phonics lessons) are sent home to parents for extra practice.
- Children are given extra time on an ipad to watch the virtual links in school.
- Teachers have an extra 5 minute phonics lesson in an afternoon.
Phonics from the Beginning of Reception
Phonics is taught from the very beginning of Foundation Stage 2. If children are ready, some of the sounds are taught from the Summer term of Foundation Stage 1. We believe that a strong start in Reception has a big impact on children’s progress and confidence in reading. By the end of the Foundation Stage, we want children to be able to read all of the Set 1 and Set 2 sounds in words. Children are identified from an the beginning if they are falling behind.
Phonically Decodable Books
From FS1 the focus is on language acquisition and listening to stories being read to them. As children begin Read, Write, Inc in FS2, children are sent home with sound books to practise their sounds. When they are secure with their understanding of sounds, children will be given virtual links for games to practise their oral blending. Following this, children will be sent home with sound blending books. When children move into the Ditty group, they will take a perfectly matched phonically decodable sheet home with them. This continues, until children have moved securely off the programme. In KS1, as well as a phonically, decodable book, children will take a library book home with them. This is to encourage parents to read to their children and develop their vocabulary. Phonics books are changed at least weekly, so children have time to practise their phonics sounds, as well as building their fluency. If children struggle with their fluency, there are extra fluency links that can be sent home to support children, as well as classroom interventions.
Staff are Early Reading Experts
All staff at St John's, from nursery to KS2, have been trained in RWI phonics. The Reading Leader attends termly training sessions to ensure that she is aware of any updates. This is then relayed back to staff in school. All staff have access to the virtual classroom, where they have a large range of training videos for each aspect of phonics. The Reading Leader directs staff to training videos and staff are given time to watch them. In addition to this, the Reading Leader holds training sessions weekly for reading staff. St John's partake in a RWI Development Day, where a RWI expert visits the lessons and offers bespoke training.