English
Reading and Phonics
Intent:
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Secure Phonics knowledge should also go hand in hand with effective modelling of comprehension skills. Children at St. Mary’s are exposed to a variety of genre through shared reading and guided reading in order to develop their vocabulary and foster their love of Reading, as well as preparing them for the demands of Secondary school and beyond.
Aims:
As a community of readers, we expect all teaching staff to model and communicate their love of reading. Here are some of the ways that we do this:
Phonics:The school follows the systematic, synthetic approach laid out in Letters and Sounds (DfE 2007). From LEYs until the end of Year Two children have a daily phonics lesson. In year three GPC’s are revised. In Nursery children are taught Phase One of Letters and Sounds ‘with the intention of teaching young children important basic elements of the Letters and Sounds programme such as oral segmenting and blending of familiar words’ ( Letters and Sounds: Principles and Practice of High Quality Phonics Primary National Strategy, 2007). During lessons in EYs and KS1 previous phonemes are revised, new phonemes are introduced and then children apply their new learning. Common exception words are also explicitly taught. Those children who still need support with reading or children who are new to the school/language also have ‘Phonics Booster’ classes. Children have a range of opportunities to develop their phonics skills in class throughout the curriculum. Speaking, listening, reading and writing activities will be developed which allow them to explore and practice their phonic knowledge, blending and segmenting skills independently. Whole School Reading Scheme:We follow the Oxford Reading Tree scheme. Please click here for further information. |
Please click here for a copy of our Reading and Phonics Policy
Please click here for a copy of the DFE's Letters and Sounds guidance
Click here for free Letters and Sounds resources
Click here for Mr T's Phonics You Tube videos to help you practice your phonics at home!
Click here for the Primary English National Curriculum.
Writing
Grammar and vocabulary work is taught purposefully, in context, so that it can be used in the identified outcomes. Activities are used to revisit and consolidate learning as necessary.
Along with the focus on grammar and vocabulary development to ensure effective and accurate writing, the high-quality texts provide models and scaffolds so that children are enabled to make independent choices about how they write and the effect they wish to create. Pupils are given time to write, evaluate, redraft and proof-read their extended pieces of writing using given prompts appropriate to their needs. This is often done alongside teacher and peer support.