Phonics and spelling sessions are integral to our curriculum and are taught daily in the Foundation Stage, Year 1, and Year 2. We usethe ‘Junior Learning’ Phonics Program to guide these sessions.

Structure of Phonics Sessions

During these sessions, children engage in a variety of activities designed to help them recognize and articulate phonemes (sounds) and learn to write graphemes (letters or combinations of letters). Our approach combines highly structured, adult-led phonics sessions with creative games and activities to ensure an engaging and effective learning experience.

Key Components

• Recognising and Articulating Phonemes: Children learn to identify and pronounce individual sounds in words.
• Learning and Writing Graphemes: Children are taught to write the letters or combinations of letters that represent each sound.
• Structured Sessions: Phonics instruction is delivered in a systematic manner, ensuring that each child builds a strong foundation in reading and spelling.
• Creative Games and Activities: These are incorporated to make learning fun and to reinforce the concepts taught in structured sessions.

Importance of Phonics

The skills acquired in phonics sessions are essential tools for children. They help children decode words for reading and encode words for spelling. This foundation is crucial for developing literacy skills that will support their ongoing education.

Inclusive and Targeted Instruction

Phonics is taught as a whole class to ensure that all children are exposed to the appropriate level of phonics instruction for their age group. Additionally, booster sessions and targeted interventions are used to support and challenge individual students as needed. This approach ensures that all children, regardless of their starting point, can make progress in their phonics learning.

Continuation into Key Stage 2

For children in Key Stage 2 who need continued phonics support, instruction is tailored to match their age and stage of development. Resources and activities are selected with sensitivity to ensure they are appropriate and effective for older children.

By maintaining a robust and adaptable phonics program, we aim to provide all our students with the foundational skills necessary for reading and writing success

Miss Ashton is our Phonics Subject Leader.

Teaching Approach

At St. Michael’s, the phonics program is structured and systematic. Children learn to recognize and articulate phonemes (sounds) and learn to read and write graphemes (letters or combinations of letters). The program combines direct instruction with creative games and activities to make learning engaging and effective.

Parental Support

Parents play a crucial role in supporting phonics learning at home. The meeting provides tips and resources for parents to help their children practice phonics, including interactive games, reading activities, and consistent reinforcement of phonics skills in everyday situations.

Assessment

Children’s progress in phonics is tracked through various assessment methods. These include regular informal assessments during lessons and the statutory Year 1 Phonics Screening Check. This check consists of reading 40 words, including real and nonsense words, to assess their phonics knowledge.

By following this structured approach and involving parents in the process, St. Michael’s aims to ensure all children develop strong reading and writing skills from an early age.

At St Michael’s we follow the Junior Learning Letters and Sounds DfE validated phonics scheme.

You can learn more about the Junior Learning Approach by clicking here.

Phase 1: (Birth to Reception)

Focuses on developing children’s speaking and listening skills, laying the foundation for phonics. Activities include listening to sounds, rhythm, and rhyme, and developing oral blending and segmenting skills.

Phase 2: (Reception)

Introduces children to 19 letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds (phonemes). They learn to blend these sounds to read words and segment words to spell them.

Phase 3: (Reception)

Teaches the remaining 7 letters of the alphabet and introduces 25 graphemes, including digraphs (two letters making one sound, e.g., ‘ch’, ‘sh’) and trigraphs (three letters making one sound, e.g., ‘igh’). Children continue blending and segmenting to read and spell.

Phase 4: (Reception)

Focuses on consolidating the children’s knowledge of graphemes and phonemes learned in Phases 2 and 3. They practice blending for reading and segmenting for spelling more complex words, including those with adjacent consonants (e.g., ‘st’, ‘bl’).

Phase 5: (Throughout Year 1)

Introduces alternative spellings for sounds, learning new graphemes, and different pronunciations for known graphemes. Children develop fluency in reading and spelling words with more complex letter-sound correspondences.

Phase 6: (Throughout Year 2 and Beyond)

Focuses on reading and spelling accuracy and fluency. Children learn spelling rules and conventions, such as adding suffixes (e.g., ‘ing’, ‘ed’) and understanding more complex words and their structures.

Decodable Books

A decodable reading book is a book that only contains letter sounds that a child has already learnt.  Texts are strictly controlled to only include words made up of letter sounds that have been previously taught.

Please click here to read more about the book progression we use through the Junior Learning approach.

1. PhonicsPlay

• Offers a range of interactive games and resources to help children practice their phonics skills in a fun and engaging way.

2. BBC Bitesize – Phonics

• Provides educational games, videos, and activities to support phonics learning, suitable for different stages of development.

3. Oxford Owl

• Features a variety of free eBooks, reading activities, and phonics resources designed to support children’s reading at home.

4. Letters and Sounds

• Offers information and resources based on the UK government’s phonics program, including printable materials and interactive games.

5. Teach Your Monster to Read

• A free game-based resource that helps children practice phonics and reading through fun and engaging activities.

6. Twinkl Phonics

• Provides a vast array of phonics resources, including worksheets, games, and activities tailored to various phonics phases.

What is the Phonics Screening Check?

The phonics screening check is a short assessment designed to evaluate how well each child has learned to decode words using phonics up to the end of Year 1. It consists of 40 words and non-words (pseudo words) that your child will read one-on-one with their class teacher.

Why is it Important?

This check helps us to identify students who may need extra support with their reading skills. It also allows us to measure how well our phonics teaching is supporting your child’s progress in reading.

How Can Parents and Carers Help?

• Practice at Home: Regular reading at home, focusing on phonics sounds and blending, can greatly support your child’s preparation.
• Encourage Confidence: Emphasize the importance of trying their best during the check and reassure them that it’s just one of the ways we support their learning journey.

What Happens After the Check?

We will share your child’s results with you and discuss any support or next steps that may be needed. For those who require additional support, we have dedicated programs and interventions tailored to individual needs.