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The Brent Primary

Phonics

Phonics teaching at The Brent is fundamental to learning to read and write.

At The Brent School, we believe that all our children can become fluent readers and writers. Phonics and Early Reading is taught through 'Little Wandle letters and Sounds Revised', which is a systematic and synthetic Phonics programme. Starting in Reception, we follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression, which ensures children build on their growing knowledge of the alphabetic code, mastering phonics to read and spell as they move through school.

As a result, all our children are able to tackle any unfamiliar words as they read. At The Brent School, we also model the application of the alphabetic code through phonics in shared reading and writing, both inside and outside of the phonics lesson and across the curriculum. We have a strong focus on language development for our children because we know that speaking and listening are crucial skills for reading and writing in all subjects.

Letters and Sounds is divided into 5 Phases that are taught throughout EYFS and KS1. The organisation of Phonics teaching across The Brent School varies within each year group. 

Please take a look at this website for more information: https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

Support sound pronunciation at home using the video below:

 

 Reception and Year 1

Daily Phonics lessons in Reception and Year 1:

  • We teach Phonics for 30 minutes a day. In Reception, we build from 10-minute lessons, with additional daily oral blending games, to the full-length lesson as quickly as possible. Each Friday, we review the week’s teaching to help children become fluent readers.
  • Children make a strong start in Reception: teaching begins in Week 2 of the Autumn term.
  • We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised expectations of progress:
    • Children in Reception are taught to read and spell words using Phase 2 and 3 GPCs, and words with adjacent consonants (Phase 4) with fluency and accuracy.
    • Children in Year 1 review Phase 3 and 4 and are taught to read and spell words using Phase 5 GPCs with fluency and accuracy.

 Daily Keep-up lessons ensure every child learns to read

  • Any child who needs additional practise has daily Keep-up support, taught by a fully trained adult. Keep-up lessons match the structure of class teaching, and use the same procedures, resources and mantras, but in smaller steps with more repetition, so that every child secures their learning.

Year 2 & 3 

  • We timetable daily Phonics lessons for any child in Year 2 or 3 who is not fully fluent at reading or has not passed the Phonics screening check. We use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised assessments to identify the gaps in their phonic knowledge and teach to these using the Keep-up resources – at pace.
  • If any child in Year 3 to 6 has gaps in their phonic knowledge when reading or writing, we plan phonics ‘catch-up’ lessons to address specific reading/writing gaps. These short, sharp lessons last 10 minutes and take place at least three times a week.

 Assessment

Formative and Summative Assessment

  • Ongoing assessment is used to monitor progress and to identify any child needing additional support as soon as they need it.

Statutory Assessment

  • Children in Year 1 sit the Phonics screening check. Any child not passing the check re-sits it in Year 2.

You can read more about assessment here.