Phonics and Reading
Phonic
At Locking, we follow the approach to phonics teaching as outlined in Extend Letters and Sounds, a validated scheme. Children begin this programme in EYFS and continue it into the first part of Year 2 where it is superseded by the Spelling Programme. The Phonics programme is a 9 step approach to the systematic teaching of phonics.
The central principles involve:
- Children having knowledge of the alphabetic code;
- Children having the skill to blend to read;
- Children having the skill to segment to spell;
- Children understanding these as a reversible process.
Extend Letters and Sounds (validated scheme) links reading and writing to phonic knowledge and has been of great benefit for our children. The knowledge children acquire to support their development of early reading is equally as relevant for their development as a writer. It is important that children are given equal opportunities to practise and apply their phonics skills in writing and reading tasks so that they can understand the relationship between decoding skills for reading and encoding skills for spelling. These skills are underpinned by the modelling and teaching of good listening skills, combined with frequent opportunities to improve children’s visual and auditory memory and their ability to sequence. These skills are developed through the teaching of activities to promote phonological and phonemic awareness in young children before they embark on a systematic phonics program.
Alongside daily teaching of phonics, activities and opportunities are provided within the learning environment for children to apply and consolidate their learning.
When teaching reading, whilst we encourage a phonetic approach, we also teach and value strategies such as learning sight vocabulary and looking for context when reading unfamiliar vocabulary. Although we do not use a ‘reading scheme’, we do have a banded books approach. Phonetically decodable books are banded into the phonic steps so that reading books can be carefully matched to children's phonic stage. This ensures that children will progress rapidly with both their decoding and understanding of a text. Understanding is the key to enjoyment; text comprehension starts straight away in EYFS with class story time.
Extend Letters and Sounds (a validated scheme) Overview
Extend Letters and Sounds Phonics Programme Overview for Website Publication.pdf
Helpful Information for parents/carers
Phonics leaflet - reading and spelling sight words.pdf
Phonics leaflet - supporting your child at home.pdf
Reading
Our Intent
At Locking Primary School, we understand that reading skills underpin all aspects of learning and open the door to many possibilities and opportunities. Our aim is to support all children to become fluent and confident readers who value the importance of reading for purpose and for pleasure and understand the role it plays in their learning. Through access to quality texts and a range of stimulating and engaging reading opportunities, children broaden their understanding of the world, shape their thoughts and opinions and develop a broad and rich vocabulary.
Using a range of teaching approaches, we teach word reading and language comprehension skills in a systematic and progressive manner, providing frequent opportunities for the modelling of reading habits and the practice and application of newly acquired knowledge. We support children to become independent learners and critical thinkers who possess a range of reading strategies skills to thrive and succeed. Our reading curriculum is accessible to all our learners. However, children who require reading provision that is additional and different are quickly identified and tailored support is put in place.
We believe that all children have the right to develop a passion for reading, to access quality texts and to experience the joys that a love of literature brings. To this end, children are immersed in books, stories, poems and rhymes and are given the opportunity to talk about texts in a social context, enhancing their reading experience and deepening their reading comprehension.
Our goal is for children to leave primary school at the end of year 6 armed with all the reading skills that they will need to continue a successful and enriching learning journey at secondary school and in adulthood.
A Whole School Approach to Reading at Locking Primary School
