At St Stephen's CE Primary school, we use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to plan and provide daily engaging phonics lessons. In phonics, we teach children that the letters of the alphabet represent a different sound, that these can be used in a variety of combinations and are put together to make words. The children learn to recognise all of the different sounds and combinations that they might see when they are reading or writing. Our phonics teaching starts in Nursery and follows a very specific sequence that allows our children to build on their previous phonic knowledge and master specific phonic strategies as they move through school. As a result, our children have the skills and knowledge to be able to tackle any unfamiliar words that they might discover.
At St Stephen's CE Primary School we also model these strategies in shared reading and writing both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on the development of language skills for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.
Your child's books will be changed on a Thursday, in school.
Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home.
There are two types of reading books that your child will bring home:
A reading practice book (Bug Club).
This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently and it should be read more than once, so that your child has the opportunity to develop fluency.
A sharing book.
This will be chosen from our library. Your child may not be able to read this on their own. This book is for you to read and enjoy together.
Your child may also bring home an additional banded book of their choice.
Below, you will find some useful links and videos. The videos will show you how we teach your child specific aspects of phonics in class.