Phonics

EYFS and KS1 Phonics Policy

Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement: 

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 Meadowside Academy, we have fidelity to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised scheme. This is implemented through three strategies - daily phonics lessons, daily keep-up interventions and reading practice sessions.

Daily phonics lessons:

• We teach whole class phonics for 30 minutes a day. In Reception, this is built up from 10 minute sessions to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible.
• We follow the Little Wandle progression map which is a fast paced and rigorous approach, ensuring children are highly engaged throughout.
• Phonics is taught consistently across school. All staff use the Little Wandle resources and strategies, such as mnemonics and mantras.
• Pupils in Year 2 progress onto the school spelling curriculum, through our KS2 Word Power approach.

Daily Keep-up sessions:

• Any child who needs additional practice has daily Keep-up support, which is in line with our whole school KUNCU policy. 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 reading practice sessions which are held three times a week.
• 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 – decoding, prosody (reading with understanding and expression) and comprehension.
• In Year 2, pupils who have been identified as needing additional practice take part in these reading sessions three times a week as well.
• In addition to the reading practice sessions, Pupil Premium children and our lowest 20% are read to on a regular basis.

Home reading:

• The decodable reading practice book is sent home at the end of the week as an eBook to ensure success is shared with the family.
• Pupils also take home decodable reading books that are matched to their secure phonics ability.
• Children choose a ‘Reading for pleasure’ book from our school library for parents to share and read to their child.

 Reading for pleasure:

• Their ‘reading for pleasure’ book that they take home weekly. These are often non-decodable and help develop a love for reading.
• We read to children every day. We choose these books carefully as we want children to experience a wide range of books, including books that reflect the children at Meadowside, our local community and other worlds and cultures.
• 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 Big Idea theme.
• 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.

Impact:

The impact of our consistent and systematic teaching of our phonics programme is that children become fluent readers by the end of KS1. Our Phonics assessments over the past three years have been above the national average.

Assessment:

• Teachers assess within the class daily to identify which pupils need Keep-up support.
• Summative assessment is used every six weeks to assess progress and identify gaps in learning that need to be addressed.
• The Little Wandle placement assessment is used to assess new pupils or pupils in KS2 requiring additional support.
• 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.

For any additional information, please contact the school office and ask for the relevant leader:

Tel: 01423 886207                        office@meadowsideacademy.org

Phonics and Early Reading Lead – Jen Stockman

English Lead – Jen Stockmann

Headteacher and Curriculum Lead – Mr S Crawford

Useful links:

• Little Wandle website - https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/