Phonics

At Leonard Stanley Primary School we understand that Phonic skills need to be developed in a systematic, staged approach in order to help all children to ‘achieve their potential’.

Letters and Sounds Scheme

The children follow the ‘Letters and Sounds’ scheme in Early Years Foundation Stage (YR), through KS1 and into KS2 when required. The scheme focuses on securing word recognition skills, essential for children to decode (read) and encode (spell) words accurately and reading comprehension. Each child in YR, Y1 and Y2 is taught a discrete 20 minute daily session of phonics and spelling, and each teacher follows the teaching sequence of ‘revisit, review, teach, practise and apply’.

Jolly Phonics and Jolly Grammar

This work is supplemented by the use of the ‘Jolly Phonics’, and at times the ‘Jolly Grammar’, scheme, as this ensures a multisensory approach to learning. Our aim is, that as a result of following this programme, our pupils become efficient and fluent readers and spellers by the end of Key Stage 1.

To meet the demands of the National Curriculum 2014 (NC2014), reading and spelling skills are taught and applied in all areas of the curriculum.

Y1 Phonics Screening Check

In the summer term, Y1 children will take a Phonics Screening Check in which children will be expected to read 40 decodable ‘words’. This progress check identifies those children not at the expected level in reading – and these children will be retaught re-checked in Y2.