South Kilvington C of E Academy

Early Reading & Phonics

Intent

The intent behind our phonics approach is to: 

• Nurture happy children who have a love for books and reading.
• We encourage our children to see themselves as readers for both pleasure and purpose.
• Deliver a high-quality phonics programme so children can consistently use phonics to read and write confidently and fluently by the end of Key Stage 1.
• For children to apply their phonics knowledge during reading and writing sessions and across the curriculum.
• Ensure children’s reading books are tailored to their individual secure phonics knowledge, ensuring they are fully decodable.
• Encourage learners to be independent, resilient and have a stamina for reading.

   Implementation

At South Kilvington, we have fidelity to the Read Write Inc scheme. This is implemented through three strategies - daily phonics lessons, daily small group Read Write Inc sessions and daily keep-up interventions.

Daily phonics lessons:

• We teach whole class phonics for 15 minutes a day. Followed by the small group sessions identified through the 6 weekly assessments.
• We follow the Read Write Inc structured programme which is a fast paced and rigorous, ensuring children are highly engaged throughout.
• Phonics is taught consistently across school. All staff in Robins and Kingfishers use the Read Write Inc resources and strategies, such as mnemonics and mantras. Bluebirds and Peacocks use the Read Write Inc sound mat and 1:1 intervention if identified.
• Pupils in Year 2 and 3 progress onto the school spelling curriculum through our Word Power approach. However, phonology activities incorporate RWI strategies and resources.

Daily Keep-up sessions:

• Any child who needs additional practice has daily Keep-up support following the Read Write Inc pathway. Any children that are working significantly behind their peers engage in daily individual phonics sessions.
• Keep-up sessions match the structure of class teaching and use the same strategies, resources and mantras, but in smaller steps with more repetition.
• Pupils in Y2-Y6 who are not fully fluent readers or have not passed the Phonics screening check are identified. They are targeted for daily Keep-up sessions and regular 1:1 reading. We regularly assess these pupils to ensure the gap is closing between them and their peers.

Reading practice sessions:

• In Reception and Year 1, we teach children to read and develop relevant skills through the daily Read Write Inc reading sequence.
• These are taught by a fully trained adult to small groups of approximately six children. The groups are monitored by the class teacher, who rotates and works with each group on a regular basis.
• We use books matched to the children’s secure phonic knowledge.
• Each reading session has a clear focus – identify digraph/ trigraphs (Special Friends) in story words, segmenting to sounds in words ‘Fred Talk’ and blending to read ‘Fred in Your Head’. This is followed with paired reading and progresses to reading with understanding and expression) and comprehension.
• In Year 2, pupils who have been identified as needing additional practice take part in small group Read Write Inc reading sessions three times a week as well. 

Home reading:

• Pupils are sent Read Write Inc short phonic ‘Special Friend’ video links home as the children learn them to practice
• Pupils also take home decodable reading books that are matched to their secure phonics ability.
• Read Write Inc. parents information evening held at the beginning of the school year.

 Reading for pleasure:

• We read to children every day in Whole Class Reading. We choose these books carefully as we want children to experience a wide range of books, including books that promote mental health and well-being, our local community and other worlds and cultures.
• Children also have their own reading book chosen from the reading book area in their classroom. 
• Every classroom has an inviting book corner that encourages a love for reading. These include a range of fiction and non-fiction texts which relate to our Learning Journey.
• Reading and writing is evident in areas of provision in EYFS and Year 1, where both classes have access to continuous provision.
• Pupils have the opportunity to visit the local library as well as our school library.
• Whole school weekly reading challenge. Children who read 4 times or more a week are put into a raffle and drawn in celebration assembly. Winner from each year group choose a book prize.

Impact

The impact of our consistent and systematic teaching of our phonics programme is that children become fluent readers by the end of KS1.

 Assessment:

• The phonic lead carries out Read Write Inc. assessments every 6 weeks to ensure children are placed in the correct reading group every term, identify gaps in learning that are addressed through ‘5 min boxes’ or specific Read Write Inc sessions.
• Children in Year 1 sit the Phonics screening check. Any pupils that did not pass are closely monitored and re-sit the test in Year 2.