Systematic synthetic phonics is taught daily in EYFS and KS1 and is prioritised as the most important strategy in teaching our early readers the skills, strategies and knowledge needed to succeed, with the ambition that every child is a reader by age 7. We follow the Little Wandle programme, based on the original Letters and Sounds, but extensively revised to provide a complete teaching programme meeting all the expectations of the National Curriculum and preparing our children to flourish beyond the expectations of the Phonics Screening Check in Year 1.
In all areas of our phonics teaching, we employ the seven key features that have been identified through the English Hubs programme as characterising highly successful phonics teaching:
- direct teaching in frequent, short bursts
- consistency of approach
- secure, systematic progression in phonics learning
- maintaining pace of learning
- providing repeated practice
- application of phonics using matched decodable books
- early identification of children at risk of falling behind, linked to the provision of effective keep-up support
Through the vehicle of our chosen phonics programme, Little Wandle, we ensure that children learn the necessary grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs) to read new and familiar words and then apply this knowledge to sentence level reading. Following phonics lessons, which entail revision and teaching of new GPCs, children practise segmenting words into known individual phonemes and then blending them to read the words in new and familiar books. In order to build confidence and ensure success in reading, children are given decodable books that only contain the taught sounds from prior phonics sessions. We share decodable books – physically – with parents at home to bring our families into our reading community and ensure success for our young readers.
Rigorous, regular assessment is employed to identify children who need additional support to ‘keep-up’. Early readers in Year 2 and KS2 receive rigorous daily intervention using several approaches, for example: phonics, a whole language approach which focuses on reading for meaning and sight word recognition. These approaches equip children with the skills to become lifelong readers.
Please view our Phonics Early Reading Policy.
Please view our Phonics Resources Year 1.
KS2
We use a reciprocal reading model which is an approach to teaching reading which can be applied to all texts. It focuses on:
- Key reading strategies which support comprehension
- Learning behaviours which support dialogue
- Explicit teaching of Tier 1 words (frequently occurring words in everyday life) and Tier 2 words (vocabulary words predominantly found in written text) and Tier 3 words (technical vocabulary specific to a certain subject or topic)
This approach includes daily reading sessions with whole-class modelling, followed by partner work and independent practice. Children enhance their text comprehension using systematic strategies and language stems. It aligns with National Curriculum requirements, promotes effective reading practices, and fosters a culture of reading for both pleasure and purpose.
Intent:
- To provide clear, consistent structure for daily reading lessons
- To enable children to become successful readers and comprehenders through the explicit teaching of key strategies
- To ensure engagement though an interactive approach, fostering reading for pleasure and purpose
- To provide a structured approach to key learning behaviours which allow children to be fully independent learners
Reading for Pleasure
Reading for pleasure is vital as it supports cognitive, social, and emotional development, fostering empathy, creativity, and critical thinking. It also builds motivation, improves academic achievement, and encourages lifelong learning, creating engaged and confident readers. We have a vibrant reading culture at Brecknock, with a strong emphasis on reading for pleasure. A great deal of time and resources has been invested in our reading programme to engage and inspire students at all levels.
Key initiatives include:
- Core Texts: A diverse selection of fiction and non-fiction texts enriches our curriculum, broadens students’ perspectives, and celebrates the cultures and backgrounds of our pupils.
- The Reading Road Map: This dedicated reading-for-pleasure program encourages students to explore a variety of genres and recommends new authors and newly published books.
- Book Clubs: Our diverse range of clubs cultivates a shared love of reading, catering to all interests and preferences. Whether you’re into fiction, non-fiction, or specific genres, there’s something for everyone.
- Library Investments: every classroom has their own library, alongside our school library, offering students even more opportunities to discover and enjoy new books. Children are regularly gifted books to help them build their own personal library at home.
- As part of our commitment to fostering strong connections with the community, we organize regular visits to the local library and every child receives a library card as part of our admission’s policy.
- Reading Incentives: Programs like reading records, stickers, certificates, and prizes encourage students to read regularly and celebrate their progress.
- Community Events: World Book Day, Book Fairs, book swaps, and author visits through our reading partnerships (both in-person and virtual) connect students with the wider literary community.
- Parental Involvement: We regularly invite parents to come and read with children in the school, as well as at home.
Core text list linked to curriculum
Through these efforts, we are committed to nurturing a lifelong love of reading among our students.
