English, Phonics & Early Reading

Reading Information

Please see below presentations from our recent reading talk and a handout which includes key vocabulary / terms that the children will use during their phonics and reading sessions in school.

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• ks2-importance-of-comprehension
• reading-talk-hand-out
• reading-within-early-years
• red-words-1

Phonics

Phonics scheme:

We use Read, Write, Inc, this scheme was validated by the DfE in 2021. 

We begin teaching phonics in the first few weeks of term 1 in Reception and children make rapid progress in their reading journey. Children begin to learn the main sounds heard in the English Language and how they can be represented, these are known as set 1 sounds. They also learn to ‘red words' (high frequency words) by sight to support the fluency of their reading. They use these sounds to read and write simple words, captions and sentences. Children leave Reception being able to apply the phonemes taught in set 1 securely, and are exposed to set 2 sounds (vowel sounds) to support their ability to read and write an increasing variety of words with accuracy. 

In Year 1 children secure their application of set 2 sounds and move onto learning set 3 sounds, learning about alternative ways of making a range of sounds, and how to opt for the correct sound when reading and writing. They use these and their 'red word' recognition to read with increasing fluency and accuracy. By the end of Year 1 children will have mastered using phonics to decode and blend when reading and segment when spelling. In Year 1 all children are screened using the national Phonics Screening Check. 

In Year 2, phonics continues to be revisited to ensure mastery of the phonetic code and any child who does not meet age related expectations will continue to receive support to close identified gaps. They move onto a comprehension based scheme that allows them to practice their phonics skills, fluency and accuracy, whilst learning to answer a range of questions by retrieving information from texts. 

To ensure no child is left behind at any point in the progression, children are regularly assessed and supported to keep up through bespoke 1-1 interventions. These include GPC recognition and blending and segmenting interventions. The lowest attaining 20% of pupils are closely monitored to ensure these interventions have an impact.

How we teach phonics:

Children are assessed and then put into groups based on their ability.
This means that activities are targeted to the needs of pupils, regardless of their age or starting point. Groups are ‘fluid’ meaning that when the adult leading the group identifies a child who is exceeding in their group they will be able to move to the next group after being re-assessed. All children are assessed at least termly by a set group of RWI teachers across the year groups, this is to ensure consistency and accuracy for the assessments. Regular assessment helps us to identify the children who may need additional support are identified quickly so teachers can put interventions in place if necessary.

RWI teaches children to not only read accurately and fluently but also teaches comprehension skills and embeds a love for reading. Children will learn to form letters, spell correctly and compose their ideas step-by-step. Read Write Inc (RWI) is closely matched to the Year 1 National Curriculum.

The average child will aim to finish the RWI programme by the end of Year 1, or by the end of the first term in Year 2 if he/she started their RWI journey in Year R. Interventions are used, where necessary, to accelerate progress of children not working at age expectation and to fill gaps in their learning.

Throughout the RWI programme children also focus on and develop: Spoken language, Reading comprehension and Writing – transcription; handwriting; composition; vocabulary, punctuation, grammar and spelling (SPAG). This means that RWI is not just a phonics programme, it teaches children to become proficient in all of the National Curriculum areas of being a good reader / writer. Additional whole class writing lessons and discrete spelling and grammar sessions are also timetabled accordingly. For those children who have completed the RWI programme, their Reading Lesson will form the main part of their provision.

Dependent on the needs of the classes, towards the end of the academic year, some classes will continue with a ‘phonics top up’ during the school week. Extra support is provided to those in Year 2 who have not passed phonics screening in Year 1 and interventions are planned for those children who are working below expected levels. Staff follow the structure of the RWI lessons and teach small groups on a 3 or 5-day cycle, depending on their book colour. Children are then assessed at the end of each half term (6-week cycle). The movement for children through groups is based on the results of the assessment. The use of phonics is then embedded through different aspects the curriculum and again through homework and pupil’s home reading books.

Reading scheme:

The children bring home a read write inc bookbag book each week suited to the level of phonics they are accessing. They also take home the book they've focused on in their phonics sessions at the end of the week. Children are expected to read books at least three times to develop their fluency and comprehension of the text. Children receive Read Write Inc books that are suited to their phonics ability, and allows them to read with fluency and expression. 

We supplement our Read Write Inc books with other core texts, these texts are used as 'read with me' texts. These books give opportunities to develop vocabulary, understanding of story structure and should allow children to have exposure to a wider range of texts.

English

Speaking and Listening

'Reading and writing float on a sea of talk' - James Britton

At Beckington and Mells we believe that speaking and listening skills serve as the foundations for success in becoming confident, literate individuals. They are paramount in promoting effective communication, fostering social interactions, and nurturing critical thinking skills. By engaging in meaningful conversations, our students refine their oral expression, learn to listen attentively, and develop the ability to articulate their thoughts and ideas eloquently.

We endeavour to provide a vocabulary-rich curriculum that enhances speaking and listening skills and  enables students to expand their knowledge and understanding of language which empowers them to express themselves articulately. Through opportunities to speak aloud to the class, the rest of the school and parents, pupils enhance their self-confidence and overcome inhibitions while communicating their thoughts and ideas effectively. We believe that this cultivates a positive learning environment that encourages collaboration, empathy, and active participation in the wider community.

Reading

'Something very magical can happen when you read a good book'  J.K.Rowling 

At Beckington and Mells we believe that reading is the single most important skill we teach our children. It is the one skill that once set in motion has the ability to feed itself and all other skills.

We are passionate about books and endeavour to use language-rich texts across our curriculum to excite and engage our children and drive learning forward.

Children are read to daily from class texts which have been carefully chosen to ensure that they are interacting with a variety of genres that offer excellent learning opportunities, and act as a catalyst for imagination, creativity, and lifelong learning.

Across our schools children are given regular opportunities to read one to one, in small groups and as part of a whole class. In Reception and Key Stage 1 the focus is on decoding texts and comprehending their meaning. As children progress into Key Stage 2 they acquire a wider range of vocabulary and learn to comprehend and evaluate texts effectively. They develop inference skills, distinguishing between fact and opinion and using evidence to support their interpretations.

Alongside these skills, pupils are taught to read with prosody. They learn to vary their intonation, volume, and pace to convey meaning and engage listeners when reading aloud. This helps develop fluency and enhances their understanding of the written text.

Writing

'There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.' - Beatrix Potter

Across our federation we follow a five point structure to teaching writing:

Let’s Explore- We always begin teaching a new genre of writing by immersing the children in a rich selection of quality texts. These have been selected to showcase the necessary skills and to excite the children about their writing. Often a new writing topic is launched with a 'wow' moment such as the use of visual literacy, through the medium of film, real life experiences, drama and role play, mock crimes scenes or educational visits. Classes are immersed in the text type and begin to unpick elements that will aid their success when later writing their own.

Let’s Prepare- During this stage the children are given support and time to plan their own pieces of writing. This could be through imitating the writing of a particular author, or changing a few elements of the story to make it their own, or completely inventing their own piece of literature inspired by what they have read.

Let’s Write - Children are given regular opportunities to write in 'short bursts' throughout a writing topic as they work towards their final extended piece. Our pupils are supported to closely follow their plans and use their new found skills to show case their learning.

Let’s Improve- In both our schools we know that our first idea is not always our best idea and therefore it is important that we go back over our writing and make adjustments. Pupils are supported to use their purple polishing pens to improve their spellings, change punctuation or alter their sentences to make them even better.

Let’s share- Finally pupils are given an opportunity to share their writing. This could be through reading it aloud in class or assembly, publishing it for display in the classroom or book corners, or sharing it with other staff or pupils in the school. We believe that having a purpose behind writing drives a desire to do well and our pupils thrive on the opportunity to show off their learning.

We encourage our children to be ambitious with their writing, not shying away from good words because they are unsure of how to spell them. Through our wide reading we build vocabulary banks that all children can draw on in their independent writing.

Common Exception Words/ Spellings bands Years 1 - 4

Please see below the common exception words and spelling bands for all years (excluding EYFS)