Phonics
Education Endowment Fund research indicates that Phonics approaches have been consistently found to be effective in supporting younger readers to master the basics of reading, with an average impact of an additional four months’ progress.
What is phonics?
Phonics is a way of teaching reading, writing and spelling.
At Hugh Gaitskell Primary School we use a systematic synthetic phonics scheme called Floppy’s Phonics. Children are taught two crucial things when they are learning to read using phonics:
1. How sounds are represented by written letters.
For example, they will be taught that the letter ‘m’ represents an mmm sound.
2. How sounds can be blended together to make words.
For example, they will be taught that the sounds of the letters ‘c-a-t’ blend together to make the word ‘cat’.
Children who receive systematic teaching of phonics will learn the skills they need to tackle new words. They can then go on to read any kind of text fluently and confidently, and to read for enjoyment.
Click here for the Oxford Owl website for parents and carers.
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/learn-to-read-phonics/
When will my child start phonics?
In Nursery our children are taught early phonics skills by teaching the phase one aspects. Early phonics concentrates on developing children's speaking and listening skills, learning new vocabulary and reciting songs/nursery rhymes around the theme. It lays the foundations for the phonics work when the children start reception. The emphasis during phase one is to get children attuned to the sounds around them and ready to begin developing oral blending and segmenting skills.
Nursery children work on all seven aspects in Phase 1:
Aspect 1 - General sound discrimination - environmental
Aspect 2 - General sound discrimination - instrumental sounds
Aspect 3 - General sound discrimination - body percussion
Aspect 4 - Rhythm and rhyme
Aspect 5 - Alliteration
Aspect 6 - Voice sounds
Aspect 7 - Oral blending and segmenting
Phonics in Reception
Children make a strong start with phonics in Reception. Phonics is our top priority and our children have a 1 hour lesson every day!
Structure of the week
- Revisit and review,
- Learn a new piece of code over two days
- Use the reading routine to read the new sound.
- We also focus on vocabulary and talk time within these sessions using the scheme resources. Children are given opportunities to practice and apply reading in our Floppy’s phonics work books and through reading sentences that match the sound they are learning.
Reception children receive additional intervention sessions every afternoon offering targeted support where needed.
Phonics in KS1
In Year 1 and Year 2 we cover a new sound per day (over 4 days) by following the same systematic Floppy's Phonics teaching sequence as Reception.
In addition to the 1 hour phonics lesson, teachers provide targeted 1:1 support for children to allow them to ‘keep up not catch up’.
What arrangements are in place for children who do not pass the phonics screening check in year 2?
- As part of the transition process, Y2 teachers pass on key information about children including whether children passed their phonics re-test
- In September, teachers in every class carry out a phonics and spelling test to identify gaps and set next steps for each child according to their phonics ability
- In Lower KS2, the children start their day with a 1 hour phonics/spelling lesson. In Upper KS2 phonics/spelling lessons are 30 mins. Children will receive phonics teaching until they can read. Our staff also deliver intervention sessions to groups in KS2 and any children new to school are assessed in phonics and start learning at the appropriate level.
- Teachers have been supported by the English Leader to ensure that children have reading books matched to their phonics ability
- New scheme books have been bought to engage children and support with book matching
Phonics Development
In January 2021 we began a partnership with Jerry Clay English Hub. All staff have received initial training sessions to ensure that phonics lessons are delivered accurately and resources are consistent in every classroom across the school. Ongoing CPD and coaching sessions for all staff will take place to monitor the implementation of the phonics scheme so that all pupils make accelerated progress in the reading of sounds and words.
How to say the sounds
Below is a video explaining how to pronounce the sounds that your child will learn at school. If you are not sure how to say a sound, this is a handy guide to refer to.
