Phonics & Early Reading
At Hullavington CE Primary and Nursery School, we believe that learning to read is one of the most important skills a child will develop. We want every child to become a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader who develops a lifelong love of books and reading.
We recognise that early reading is the foundation for future learning and achievement across the curriculum. We therefore place a strong emphasis on developing children's early language, listening and communication skills before supporting them to become confident readers through systematic synthetic phonics.
We use Twinkl Phonics, a Department for Education validated systematic synthetic phonics programme, to provide a consistent and structured approach to teaching phonics. Through high-quality teaching, regular practice and carefully matched reading books, we aim to ensure that every child develops the skills and confidence needed to become an independent reader.
Phonics Teaching
Phonics is taught through a structured programme which introduces children to the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent (graphemes and phonemes). Children learn to recognise sounds, blend them together to read words and segment words into their individual sounds when spelling.
Our phonics teaching follows the Twinkl Phonics progression, ensuring that children build their knowledge and skills systematically from the Early Years through Key Stage 1.
Children are taught to:
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Recognise and pronounce phonemes accurately.
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Identify the graphemes that represent different sounds.
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Blend sounds together to read words.
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Segment words into sounds to support spelling.
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Read common exception words which cannot always be decoded using their existing phonics knowledge.
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Apply their phonics knowledge when reading sentences and books.
Phonics is taught through engaging, interactive and carefully structured lessons, with opportunities for children to revisit prior learning, practise new sounds and apply their developing knowledge.
We regularly assess children's progress to identify any gaps in their phonics knowledge and provide additional support where needed. Where children require further practice, targeted interventions help them to keep up with the pace of the programme.
Early Reading
Alongside phonics teaching, we develop children's enjoyment and understanding of books from the very beginning of their school journey.
In Nursery and Reception, children are immersed in stories, rhymes, songs and opportunities to share books with adults. We recognise the importance of developing vocabulary, listening skills and a love of stories as essential foundations for learning to read.
As children begin to apply their phonics knowledge, they are provided with carefully matched decodable reading books which enable them to practise the sounds and words they have been taught. These books are selected to ensure that children can experience success, build fluency and develop confidence without relying on guessing or pictures.
Children also have opportunities to enjoy a wide range of other stories, picture books and non-fiction texts, with adults modelling expressive reading and sharing their enthusiasm for books.
Reading at Home
We believe that developing confident readers is a partnership between school and home. Regular reading at home is incredibly important in helping children to consolidate their phonics knowledge, develop fluency and build positive reading habits.
Children take home appropriately matched reading books to practise the phonics skills they have been learning in school. We encourage families to read regularly with their children, offering praise, encouragement and opportunities to talk about the books they share.
We also encourage parents and carers to read stories aloud to their children, share favourite books and visit the local library. Enjoying books together, talking about characters and discussing what might happen next all help to develop children's language, comprehension and enthusiasm for reading.
Supporting Every Child
We recognise that children learn to read at different rates and that some children need additional time and support to develop secure phonics knowledge and reading fluency.
Through regular assessment and careful monitoring, we identify children who may be at risk of falling behind and provide timely additional support. Our aim is to ensure that children keep up with the phonics programme wherever possible, rather than having to catch up later.
We work closely with families to share progress, offer guidance and ensure that children receive consistent support both at school and at home.
Our ambition is that every child leaves Key Stage 1 as a confident, fluent and increasingly independent reader, equipped with the skills and enthusiasm to access the wider curriculum and enjoy reading for pleasure.
