Early Reading and Phonics

Our chosen systematic synthetic phonics programme is Little Wandle. This programme has been validated by the DFE and  has been developed by Wandle and little Sutton English hubs in partnership with phonics and other early reading experts. Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised also draws on the latest research into how children learn best; how to ensure learning stays in children’s long term memory and how best to enable children to apply their learning to become highly competent readers.

Phonics sessions delivered to children include seven important key features that characterise highly successful phonics teaching, these are:
• 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.

Our phonic teaching sits hand in hand with the teaching of reading. Reading underpins children's access to the curriculum and impacts achievement. Children are taught an efficient way to decode words as well as developing comprehension skills and develop a wide vocabulary. 

Children are taught phonics everyday, as well as completing  regular reading practise sessions. In these sessions children apply the phonics they have learned to reading fully decodable books. The books are matched to every child's progression in phonics. Children complete three reading practice sessions each week that focus on three key reading skills:

• decoding
• prosody - reading with meaning, stress and intonation
• comprehension - understanding the text

To find out more about Little Wandle and how you can support your child follow this link