Phonics
Curriculum intent
At our school, phonics is taught through the Unlocking Letters and Sounds programme. This is a systematic and progressive approach to early reading and writing. Children begin learning phonics early in Reception where they are taught to recognise the sounds (phonemes) in words and the letters or groups of letters (graphemes) that represent them. They learn how to blend sounds together to read words and segment words into sounds for spelling. As children progress through the programme, they build their knowledge of alternative spellings and pronunciations, common exception words and more complex spelling patterns.
What does learning look like at our school?
Phonics learning is taught through daily, consistent lessons that follow the Unlocking Letters and Sounds progression. Children take part in a range of activities that help them learn, practise and apply new sounds and spelling patterns. Lessons include opportunities to read and write sounds, words and sentences focussing on the skills needed to practise blending for reading and segmenting for spelling. Children regularly revisit previously taught learning to help secure their knowledge and build confidence. Reading books are carefully matched to each child’s phonics knowledge, enabling them to apply their learning successfully and develop fluency. Regular assessment ensures that children make strong progress while targeted support is provided where needed so that every child develops the essential skills required to become a confident and successful reader as they move into Key Stage 2. Alongside our phonics programme, classrooms promote a language-rich environment where children are encouraged to develop a love of reading through stories, rhymes, songs and high-quality texts. This consistent approach helps children become confident, accurate and enthusiastic readers and writers.
Download: ULS progression
How can families support at home?
Families play an important role in helping children become confident readers. The best way to support phonics at home is to read regularly with your child using the decodable book sent home from school. These books are carefully matched to the sounds and words your child has already learned in the Unlocking Letters and Sounds programme, so they can practise reading successfully and build confidence. Short, frequent reading sessions are most effective.
Children also enjoy becoming the teacher! Encourage your child to “teach” you the sounds, actions and words they have learned in class. Letting them explain and demonstrate their learning helps to strengthen their understanding and makes phonics fun and memorable.
In addition to practising phonics, reading a wide variety of books aloud to your child every day is one of the most powerful ways to support their language and literacy development. Research shows that children who are regularly read to can hear over a million more words by the age of five years old than those who are not, helping to develop vocabulary, comprehension and a lifelong love of reading. Sharing bedtime stories, poems and information books together can make a huge difference to your child’s progress and enjoyment of reading.
Download: ULS – actions