Phonics
Intent Statement
At Sutton Green we are determined that every child will learn to read, regardless of their backgrounds, needs and abilities. The systematic teaching of phonics has a high priority throughout Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. We value reading as a key life skill and one that lays the foundations for lifelong learning. We want every child to learn to decode quickly and accurately so that reading becomes effortless. We also value and encourage the pupils to read for enjoyment and recognise that this starts with the foundations of acquiring letter sounds, segmenting and blending skills.
Implementation Statement
We use the Read, Write Inc programme to teach reading and phonics. The Read, Write Inc. programme is a systematic, synthetic phonics programme that explicitly teaches children to read fluently and accurately.
We assess our children every half term and place them into appropriate phonics groups with other children at a similar challenge level. Sessions take place daily and are taught by staff trained specifically in the programme. The lowest 20% of children are identified from our rigorous assessments and targeted for dailyone-to-one tuition to help them “keep up, not catch up”. The Read, Write Inc reading books that the children access in their phonics sessions at school and those that they take home are matched to the children’s phonic knowledge and so are fully decodable.
The Read, Write, Inc 'Fast Track Tutoring' catch-up programme is used for children in years 3 and 4 and the Read, Write, Inc 'Fresh Start programme' in years 5 and 6 for pupils who have gaps in their phonic knowledge.
If you would like to find out more about the Read Write Inc programme please click on the link below.
Impact Statement
Through the teaching of systematic phonics, our aim is for children to become fluent readers by the end of Key Stage One. The children will continue to focus on developing their fluency and comprehension as they move through the school. Attainment in Phonics is measured using the National Phonics Screaning Check in the Summer term of year 1 and attainment in reading is measured using the statutory assessments at the end of Key Stage One and Two. These results are measured against the reading attainment of children nationally. However, we firmly believe that reading is the key to all learning and so the impact of our reading curriculum goes beyond the results of the statutory assessments
Helping your child
The best way to help your child achieve well in reading, and indeed across the curriculum, is to hear them read and share and discuss a variety of reading materials as often as you can. This is to develop and embed those good reading habits that will help them to be successful in school and beyond. Throughout school, high quality books and other reading resources in the classrooms, along with special events such as author visits, help to inspire and motivate children to read.
Please click on the link below to hear how to pronounce sounds correctly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkXcabDUg7Q
Read Write Inc Glossary
‘Special Friends’
Special friends are a combination of two or three letters representing one sound, e.g. ck, ay, igh, oa.
Fred Talk
Fred the Frog helps children read and spell. He can say the sounds in words, but he can’t say the whole word, so children have to help him.
To help children read, Fred (the teacher) says the sounds and then children say the word.
For example, Fred says c-a-t, children say cat, Fred says l-igh-t, children say light.
Teachers are encouraged to use Fred Talk through the day, so children learn to blend sounds.
For example:
Play Simon Says: Put your hands on your h-ea-d/ f-oo-t/ kn-ee.
Put on your c-oa-t/ h-a-t/ s-c-ar-f.
Set the table with a b-ow-l/ f-or-k/ s-p-oo-n.
‘Fred in your head’
Once children can sound out a word, we teach them to say the sounds silently in their heads.
We show them how to do this by:
1. whispering the sounds and then saying the whole word;
2. mouthing the sounds silently and then saying the whole word;
3. saying the whole word straight away.
Perfect pencil grip
Children sit at a table to write.
They hold up a pencil in a tripod pencil grip with the non-writing hand flat holding their paper.
There is also more information about the scheme in the files section of this page.
If you have any questions about reading in our school or your child’s reading progress, please don’t hesitate to speak to your child’s teacher or get in touch with Mrs Benson via [email protected] who is our school Phonics Leader.