Phonics 

We use the synthetic phonics scheme ‘Read Write Inc.’ which starts with our children in Nursery and continues until they are fluent readers. The aim of this scheme is to get children to the fluent stage as soon as possible so they can go on to explore the world of books confidently.   Read Write Inc groups run for 40 minutes 4 times a week. During these sessions, pupils: 

• Read letters by their ‘sounds’–learning sound-grapheme correspondence so that they can read single letter sounds as well as digraphs and trigraphs.   

• Blend these sounds to read words 

• Read the words in a story 

• Read words which are not phonetically regular by recognising the graphemes in words which do not produce the usual sound and then remembering these exceptions known as ‘Red words.’  

Pupils will begin by learning Speed Sounds Set 1. Set 1 contains single letter sounds as well as a few early digraphs and trigraphs such as ‘ch’ or ‘sh’. These are taught in a specific order according to how frequently they are used in the English language and in a way that children can begin to blend sounds together to read words before knowing all the Set 1 sounds.  

Speed Sound Set 2 then introduces more digraphs and trigraphs. At the end of Set 2 children will be introduced to letter names for them to discuss the difference between sounds in Set 2 and those they will later learn in Set 3.   

During Speed Sound Set 3 pupils learn the remaining graphemes used in English and look at how they know which grapheme they need when spelling a word. The programme begins with children reading short ditties before moving through the course of coloured books. 

Rigorous half-termly assessments are used to track progress carefully and group children. 

Spelling  

In writing lessons, teachers will teach spelling in context and at every appropriate opportunity. We believe spellings are best taught and learnt 'little and often'.  

Common exception words appropriate to age and stage are taught from Reception to Year 6.  

The Read Write Inc. spelling programme is introduced in Year 2. Direct teaching underpins the programme. Spelling is taught cumulatively and systematically, with deliberate, focused practice. Constant revision and practice are key to children’s success.  

The spelling programme: 

• Makes sense of the most complex alphabetic code in the world – 150 spellings of 44 speech sounds.  

• Builds upon teaching strategies and spelling activities from Read Write Inc. Phonics 

• It is organised into 15-minute, well-paced lessons at least 3 times per week. 

The programme’s core activities teach: 

• Alternative spellings of vowels 

• Alternative spellings of consonants 

• homophones 

• The impact of adding prefixes and suffixes to root words 

• Spelling plural nouns 

• ‘Silent’ letters 

• Unusual letter strings 

• Word families. 

Through close monitoring, children who require support will receive additional intervention for spelling.