Phonics

At St John’s Catholic primary school, we want to ensure that every child becomes a fluent and confident reader by the time they leave Key Stage 1. We follow the scheme ‘Little Wandle’ and this aims to:

• Build a strong foundation: Develop a solid foundation in early reading skills by systematically teaching children the relationship between sounds (phonemes) and the letters that represent them (graphemes)
• Ensure inclusivity: Provide all children, regardless of background or starting point, with equal opportunities to achieve success in reading through high-quality, consistent teaching and resources.
•  Foster a love for reading: Encourage a love of reading by ensuring that early reading experiences are positive, engaging, and successful, thereby fostering a lifelong love of reading.
• Support language development: Enhance vocabulary acquisition and comprehension skills, which are crucial for understanding texts and overall academic success.

The Little Wandle scheme is implemented through a systematic, synthetic phonics approach that is rigorous, consistent, and highly structured. The key components of its implementation include:

• ·       Daily Phonics Sessions: Phonics is taught daily, with each session lasting about 20-30 minutes. These sessions are well-paced, interactive, and include a mix of oral and written activities to reinforce learning
•  
• ·         Sequential Progression: The scheme is organised into a sequence that builds from simple to more complex sounds and spellings. Children begin with single letter sounds and progress to digraphs, trigraphs, and more complex phonemes
•  
• ·         Use of Decodable Books: Children practice reading with books that are carefully matched to their current phonics knowledge. This ensures that they can apply what they’ve learned and experience success, which in turn builds confidence
•  
• ·         Ongoing Assessment: Regular assessment is integral to the program. Teachers assess children’s phonics knowledge at least every six weeks and adapt teaching based on these assessments to address gaps and accelerate progress
•  
• ·         Targeted Support: Children who are identified as falling behind receive immediate and targeted intervention. The scheme provides resources and structured plans to help these children catch up quickly
•  
• ·         Parental Involvement: Parents are kept informed and involved in their child’s progress through workshops, guidance on supporting phonics at home, and regular updates from teachers
•  
• Professional Development: Teachers and support staff undergo continuous professional development to ensure they are confident and consistent in delivering the phonics program. The Little Wandle scheme provides comprehensive training and resources for staff.

The impact of the phonics teaching through the Little Wandle scheme is measured through several key outcomes:

• High Phonics Screening Check Results: The effectiveness of the program is reflected in the Phonics Screening Check, where the majority of children are expected to meet or exceed the expected standard by the end of Year 1
• Reading Fluency and Comprehension: By the end of Key Stage 1, children should be fluent readers who can read age-appropriate texts with accuracy, speed, and understanding. This fluency is essential for accessing the broader curriculum
• Closing the Attainment Gap: Targeted support ensures that children who start at a disadvantage or have specific learning needs make rapid progress, helping to close the attainment gap early
• Love of Reading: Children who have been taught using the Little Wandle scheme often exhibit a genuine love of reading. This is seen in their enthusiasm during reading activities, choice of books, and willingness to engage with texts beyond the classroom
• Long-Term Academic Success: The strong foundation in phonics and reading provided by the Little Wandle scheme sets children up for long-term academic success, as reading proficiency is closely linked to performance across all areas of the curriculum.

By carefully designing the intent, implementing with fidelity, and measuring the impact, the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised scheme aims to provide every child with the reading skills necessary for success in education and life.