Phonics
Our Intent
At Yalding St Peter and St Paul Primary School, we are committed to developing confident, enthusiastic and capable readers from the very start of their school journey. We believe that early reading is the foundation for future learning and that strong phonics teaching plays a vital role in helping children become successful readers and writers.
Our aim is for every child to leave Key Stage One with the skills and confidence needed to read fluently, decode unfamiliar words and enjoy books independently.
We achieve this through:
- Daily, structured Twinkl phonics teaching that builds knowledge progressively.
- A language-rich environment that promotes a love of stories, books and reading.
- Consistent teaching approaches across EYFS and Key Stage 1.
- Early identification of children who need extra support.
- Opportunities for children to apply phonics skills in reading and writing across the curriculum.
- High expectations for all pupils to succeed.
Implementation
At Yalding St Peter and St Paul Primary School, phonics is taught systematically using a clear progression of skills and knowledge. Lessons are carefully planned to ensure children revisit previous learning, practise new sounds and apply their knowledge confidently.
Children are taught in whole-class sessions so that all pupils access age-related learning. Additional support is provided promptly for any child who requires further practice.
Progression Through School
- Reception children are introduced to letter sounds and begin blending sounds to read words and segmenting words to spell.
- Year 1 children build fluency, learn alternative graphemes and pronunciations, and prepare for the Phonics Screening Check.
- Year 2 children continue to develop spelling patterns, reading fluency and confidence.
- Key Stage 2 pupils who need further support receive targeted intervention to close gaps quickly.
Teaching Approach
In every phonics lesson, children are given opportunities to:
- revisit previously taught sounds and words
- learn new grapheme-phoneme correspondences
- practise blending for reading
- practise segmenting for spelling
- read decodable words and sentences
- apply learning in writing tasks
- build fluency and confidence through repetition
Consistency Across School
All staff are trained to deliver phonics effectively and use consistent language, routines and expectations. Assessment is used regularly to check progress and inform next steps in teaching.
Teachers and support staff:
- model accurate pronunciation of sounds
- address misconceptions quickly
- adapt learning for individual needs
- provide extra practice where needed
- celebrate progress and success
Impact
The impact of our Twinkl phonics curriculum is seen through children’s growing confidence, accuracy and enjoyment in reading.
Children at Yalding St Peter and St Paul Primary School will:
- read words using secure phonic strategies
- blend sounds confidently to decode unfamiliar words
- segment words accurately for spelling
- develop fluency appropriate to their age
- use phonics knowledge across the wider curriculum
- show positive attitudes towards reading
We measure success through:
- ongoing teacher assessment
- regular phonics tracking
- targeted review of intervention groups
- reading assessments
- pupil voice
- outcomes in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check
Where children need additional support, timely intervention ensures they are helped to catch up quickly and achieve their full potential.
