PHONICS AND READING:

We teach early reading through the validated systematic, synthetic phonics programme 'Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised'. In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, phonics is taught daily for 30 minutes, separate to the English session. During each phase, children learn 4 phonemes a week. Each Friday, we review the week’s teaching to help children become confident and are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge. 

 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 some 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 increasing fluency and accuracy.  
  • Children in Year 2 are taught gaps in their phonics knowledge up until Christmas, after this if needed a child will follow the Little Wandle Rapid Catch up programme.

Any child who needs additional practice has daily Little Wandle Keep-up support, taught by a 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. 

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 follow Little Wandle's Rapid Catch up programme to address specific phonics gaps. 

GUIDED READING 

At Trinity Church of England/Methodist Primary School classes are split into 5 guided reading groups, based on ability. 

EYFS and KS1 Guided Reading 

The school follows the Big Cat Collins reading scheme as the main reading book in EYFS and KS1 as this links to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression. In Reception and early Key Stage 1, whilst children are in the earlier stages of becoming fluent readers, reading books are matched to the stage of phonics learning the children have encountered.  This ensures that the children can decode the words they meet in their reading book.  Children complete 3 reading sessions in school reading the same book, focusing on decoding, prosody (re-reading for fluency and expression) and comprehension. We then send this book home to read and discuss.  

KS2 Guided Reading 

In Key Stage 2 the majority of the books are Project X, Tree Tops classics, Pearson Bug Club and Collins Big Cat, including some poetry and non-fiction texts to supplement the scheme. Children who are following Rapid Catch Up will complete these daily sessions. Children in KS2 access several guided reading opportunities over the week focusing on decoding, prosody (re-reading for fluency and expression) and comprehension. Children will bring home a home reading book, alongside this Year 6 will bring home a weekly comprehension homework activity based on an extract of text.  

Supporting your child with reading:
Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing to read at home.

• There are two different types of books that children bring home: a guided reading book and books to share for pleasure from the school library.
• Reading at home encourages a love of books, along with developing vocabulary and discussion.
• Parents should use voices, expression, discuss unfamiliar vocabulary, talk about the pictures, and predict what might happen next in the story. 
• Give positive yet informative feedback in the home reading diary at least 3 times a week.