Reading
Phonics and Reading Scheme
Phonics
Children from Nursery through to the end of Year 2 follow The Read Write Inc phonics programme. It’s been designed to give children a good understanding of the different sounds that make up the English language and to recognise the different ways those sounds are represented when reading. Children in Years 1 and 2 are also taught the spelling rules in the National Curriculum. Phonic lessons follow the structure of revising their prior knowledge, teaching a new sound ( phoneme) or pattern, practising this and then applying their knowledge to writing/ reading a book.
Click here for more information on Read Write Inc: Parent video: What is Read Write Inc Phonics - YouTube
The Read Write Inc phonics programme is delivered daily by the class teachers and teaching assistants working with children who are at the same phonics stage. Phonics lessons are interactive with children forming letters, learning rhymes, hearing, seeing and finding sounds within their classroom environment. Lessons also contain reading words and books with the sounds being learnt, writing sounds in words and sentences to ensure what they have been taught is being applied to their writing. Children are assessed every half term and re-grouped to ensure they are making good progress and to provide more support or challenge if that progress is not rapid. At the end of Year 1, every child in England must take a short Phonics Screening Check.
Phonics Screening check
This is a short, simple assessment to ensure that all children have learned phonics decoding to an appropriate standard by the age of six. The check comprises a list of 40 words and ‘non-words’ which the child reads on a one-to-one basis with his or her teacher. In addition, the Phonics Screening Check helps teachers to identify the children who need extra help so they can receive the support they need to improve their reading skills. These children then re-take the check in Year 2.
How to say the sounds
When children learn to segment (split up) words, it is really important that they learn to use the correct sounds. Below there is video of how to pronounce all the sounds that your child is learning and information on how to say them.
Parent video: How to say the sounds - YouTube
For more information please contact Mrs B Nairn English leader. You can leave a message for Mrs Nairn through the school office: 020 8669 7588,
Reading at Rushy Meadow
At Rushy Meadow we provide children with a range of books to support a child’s growing love of reading and to ensure they can access books relevant to their learning in class.
Across Early Years and Key Stage one children are given Read Write Inc books that contain sounds they have been learning that week in phonics. Children in Key Stage Two who have not completed the programme, will read these books too. This program builds on their knowledge of phonics and contains content that is both age appropriate and written for a range of purposes. Once children have been assessed to have completed the Read Write Inc programme, they read books following book bands. Children are heard read regularly by their class teachers and teaching assistants to ensure they are making good progress with their reading and are challenged by learning new vocabulary and by explaining their understanding. When we assess children, we ensure they can read a book fluently with expression and can understand what they have read (comprehension). To support the children's love of reading, they will all take home a library book of their own choosing every week in addition to the book they are reading for their decoding practice.
Children with specific reading, speech and language or hearing difficulties will be identified and supported through support programs in school and external help will be sought where necessary.