English |
Reading |
Our approach to teaching Reading not only supports the development of phonics and reading skills but also nurtures a passion for reading for enjoyment and enjoying a variety of texts. Children are exposed to a wide range of quality texts and opportunities to explore language and broaden experiences.
Phonics skills are taught using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised scheme. Phonics is taught in 5 progressive phases across Reception and Year 1. Year 2 children will apply their phonic knowledge by focusing on GPS (Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling). Children in Year 2 who are not secure in reading words that include Phase 5 phonemes, will continue to have a daily phonics session.
Year R | Year 1 | Year 2 |
Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 | Revise Phase 3 Revise Phase 4 Phase 5 | Revise Phase 5 GPS
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Please click on the link below to access the Little Wandle website:
https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/
Children will read 1:1 with an adult at least once a fortnight as well as in groups during guided reading and group reading times. We also encourage children to read at home regularly with an adult to support their learning. Children take home two book banded books which are used to teach skills such as fluency, intonation, comprehension and enjoyment. Children also have access to a phonic e-book which is matched closely to their phonic level and is used to support children’s letter (grapheme) recognition, sound (phoneme) recognition and segmenting and blending practise. This e book matches the phonic book the children will read in school with their phonic teacher. Each class will have access to the library regularly and children are able to select and take home a library book to share with their families alongside their reading books.
Useful links to websites that support reading:
Oxford Owl - https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/
Little Wandle Parent Support - https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/
(useful videos to support the pronunciation of sounds and the teaching of blending can be found on the parent support page)
Writing |
Our approach to Writing begins with developing the physical skills needed for Writing including Fine Motor and Gross Motor skills to enable children to adopt the cursive style of writing. These are developed throughout all year groups through specific teaching and the PE curriculum. Children begin to develop their cursive handwriting through specific Herne handwriting patters which are introduced when they enter Year R, they will then learn to form letters in the cursive style.
Visit Teach Handwriting for cursive handwriting practice - https://www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/index.html
The Herne Sentence TrainThe Herne Sentence Train is a visual support used throughout the school to scaffold sentence construction, grammar and punctuation. Each part of a sentence is represented by a colour coded train carriage. The train is used in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 in a progressive way that both supports and challenges the children to explore, develop and build on their understanding of different types of words and punctuation. |
We teach writing in a cross-curricular way, linking with different areas of the curriculum where possible. We provide opportunities for children to write for a purpose and to see themselves as authors, spending equal time on fiction and non-fiction genres. The tables below outline the writing contexts covered in each year group:
Year R | |
Fiction | Non-Fiction |
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Year 1 | |
Fiction | Non-Fiction |
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Year 2 | |
Fiction | Non-Fiction |
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