Phonics and Reading

At Newlands Community Primary School, we intend for all of our children to build the strongest foundations for a lifelong love of reading. We value reading as a tool for wellbeing and as a stimulus for the imagination and understand that, as educators, our role is to embed an appreciation for reading across the curriculum as well as to rigorously teach the fundamentals of comprehension and decoding.

Phonics in EYFS and KS1

At Newlands we follow Phonics Shed for our phonic teaching and progression. As part of this programme, they will learn the sound name alongside a song and an action, a rhyme to aid recall and a handwriting formation cue.

Children in EYFS will focus on Chapters 2 and 3.

Year One chil­dren will focus on Chapter 4 Phon­ics and revise all pre­vi­ous phases. Chapter 4 intro­duces alter­na­tive pronunciations.

Year Two chil­dren will focus on later sections of Chapter 4 and revise all pre­vi­ous phases. This will also remind them of the ‘rules’ for spelling.

Towards the end of Year One, chil­dren com­plete the National Phon­ics Screen­ing Check to assess their phonic skills so far. We will keep par­ents fully informed about this. Chil­dren who do not achieve the required phonic skills by the end of Year 2 will con­tinue with addi­tional phonic learn­ing in Key Stage 2.

Here are some useful websites to support your child with their phonic learning

https://www.phonicsshed.com/en-gb/

www.phonicsplay.co.uk

www.oxfordowl.co.uk

https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk  (Children in school will have their own log in)

Our Approach to Reading

At Newlands Community Primary School, we teach children to read through;

·        Quality English lessons

·        Independent reading (or home reading) activities

·        Guided reading session.

Children are allocated a reading book in Reception, Y1 and Y2, using books which closely match their phonic teaching. This allows them to apply their Phonic learning in their reading books.

We aim to read with your child during each week. In order to ensure that your child has a range of texts to stimulate and challenge them, we also have a well stocked lending library that your child can access. Your child will have a weekly opportunity to visit the main or class library and change their book.

In Key Stage Two, we expect all children move from book bands and are beginning to read a book of their choice. This choice is guided by the class teacher and, for those who are fluent, we expect all children to read at home independently most evenings. We are working hard to ensure that our class libraries are stocked with the highest quality fiction to enable our children to grow into lifelong readers.

There is a weekly opportunity to explore the wide range of wonderful fiction we have in school and choose a reading book as well as frequent opportunities to read and review brand new novels.

Guided Reading is a half hour daily session which enables the class teacher to talk about a text in depth with a small group (or occasionally the whole class). Children in KS2 focus on one learning objective each week with opportunities to work with the class teacher and independently linked to that objective. 

If you would like further information about reading, please come and talk to one of us!