As a school we are embarking on the phonics scheme called Sounds-Write.  The programme is a sounds to print approach and supports children to learn to read and write in unison with each other.  The programme is set up to be followed from the beginning of the Reception year and into Key Stage 1. 

Children in reception will start at the initial code.  They will be taught to read sounds in the context of words, rather than as individual letters.  For example, they will listen to the sounds they can hear in the word sat and at the same time learn the representations for each of those sounds, the spelling.  They will learn to read words with 2, 3, 4 and 5 letters.  They will then move onto looking at the diagraphs ll, ff, ss, zz, ch, sh, th, wh, ng and ck.  Once they have finished the initial code they will move onto the extended code.  This will happen at the end of Reception and then throughout Year 1.  Our key phrase to support reading and writing is “say the sounds and read the word”. 

Year 1 will start by revisiting some aspects of the initial code, particularly 4 and 5 letter words.  They will then move onto the extended code.  In the Sounds-Write programme the children will learn all the different representations of a sound at the same time. 

Year 2 will continue with the extended code looking at less common representations of a sound.  They will then move onto the Polysyllabic words, which can be taught in any of the KS2 classes too.  This breaks down the words into its syllables to read and spell.

In Early Years and Key Stage 1, we have some new reading books to support this programme, we will be using Sounds-Write books, Dandelion Launcher and Readers and our existing books which have been arranged into the Sounds-Write sequence.

Phonics will be taught as a whole class.  Any children having difficulty will be supported by an adult.

During the summer term all of the Year 1 children will take part in a phonics screening check.  The children will work 1-1 with an adult they know and will be asked to read 40 words.  Some of these words are real and some are pseudo (made up) words.  The check is designed to assess the children’s phonic skills.

Miss C Rowley

(EYFS and Phonics lead)