Phonics
Imagine you are four years old and someone hands you a secret code book. Every squiggle on the page makes a sound — and if you crack the code, whole stories suddenly come alive. That’s phonics!
Our phonics teaching helps children learn how letters and sounds work together so they can read and write independently. Instead of memorising every word like a picture, children are learning the “sound code” of English. Blend sounds together and suddenly: “c-a-t” becomes cat. To a child, that moment can feel like unlocking a superpower, and it paves the way for the rest of their reading, and learning, journey. We believe reading is the gateway to the rest of the curriculum, where there are so many exciting things to learn!
Our children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. This starts as learning to hear, and distinguish between, different sounds. Then, we start work on understanding that letters represent sounds, and that each sound can help to build words. Through our Twinkl Phonics scheme, and closely linked Rhino Readers books, children quickly build up their knowledge of letters and sounds, and practice fluent reading. Our rigorous assessment approach, ensures every child is supported to achieve this, and is given additional opportunities to keep-up with their learning, if needed.
Across the school, you will see phonics sessions following our school ‘blueprint’, which means that they all follow the exact same format. This reduces cognitive load for the children as, in different groups or classes, only the letter or sound content will be different. It helps us to ensure that every session is taught effectively, and children are able to focus on the new sounds being taught, rather than having to understand how to complete new activities every day.
We believe that every child has the potential to become a confident, capable reader, and with the right support, encouragement, and teaching, we are committed to helping each one achieve that success.
Phonics gives children the essential tools to unlock reading, but more importantly, it builds the confidence and independence that inspire a lifelong love of books and learning.