How we teach Phonics at Old Town

Rationale

At Old Town Infant School and Nursery, we use a systematic approach to the teaching of synthetic phonics to enable children to develop secure reading and spelling skills. It is proven that high quality phonics teaching is ‘the best route for children to become fluent and independent readers (through) securing phonics as the prime approach to decoding unfamiliar words’ (Letters & Sounds notes of guidance).

A strong emphasis on high quality teaching of phonics can substantially reduce the number of children at risk of falling below age-related expectations for reading. The Old Town Infant School phonics sequence follows the teaching progression of the publication of Letters and Sounds (2007). Teachers make use of the Read, Write, Inc. resources to support the children’s learning of phonemes in Early Years. Our phonic progression document sets out clear expectations of pupils’ progress in phonics on a half term basis. This sequence makes clear links between both Letters and Sounds and the National Curriculum. It is to be used as a tool for (a) planning and (b) informing all teaching of phonics including in whole class sessions, interventions and 1:1 reading. The sequence sets out the pace that we expect a typical child to progress through the phonics programme.

The teaching pace can be adapted/reduced for high attaining children, with those children who are not on track receiving interventions to enable them to catch up with their peers. The phonics trackers that we have developed at Old Town, will support teacher’s ongoing assessments and will identify gaps and where targeted teaching is needed. Whole class phonics teaching will follow the suggested four-part structure of Revisit and Review – Teach – Practise –Apply as suggested from Letters and Sounds. At Old Town Infant School and Nursery, using a multi-sensory approach and through ‘quality first teaching’, children’s acquisition of speaking and listening skills, and phonic knowledge and skills are greatly enhanced.