Little Wandle - Sounds and Letters
Intent
At Bratton Primary School, we want to equip all our pupils with a secure phonic knowledge that enables them to read and write successfully. Children will be able to apply their understanding of letters and sounds to decode a range of words which in turn will allow them to read books that are closely matched to their phonic knowledge. When writing, children will be able to make phonically plausible attempts at unfamiliar words, enabling them to write with an appropriate level of independence for their age. They will also be able to use their phonic knowledge to correctly apply a range of spelling rules to words.
Implementation
In EYFS and KS1, a systematic approach to phonics will be applied through the delivery of The Little Wandle programme. Staff delivering Little Wandle lessons have access to high quality training materials and attend regular coaching sessions to ensure that teaching is consistent and delivered with fidelity across all groups and always to a high standard. Please view the parents guide on the Little Wandle website which has lots of helpful tools to help your child learn to read at home:
Throughout Early Years and Key Stage One, children are taught in small and focused groups to target their specific needs for phonics, alongside children of the same ability. These groupings are based on Read Write Inc assessments that are carried out at the start of each school year and then continue half termly. The phonics lead then collates this information and regroups children based on their current skill level allowing progression for most children but repetition and support for those that need more time on a specific set of sounds. This approach allows lessons to be focused and specific to the needs of the children. Lessons are taught by both teachers and teaching assistants who are supported by the phonics lead in their delivery.
As children build up their knowledge of sounds they are able to apply their decoding skills to any unfamiliar word, whether it be real or nonsense. During lessons each day children will practice their decoding skills by sounding out nonsense words. Children are unable to rely on existing knowledge of real words, and instead have to use their letter-sound knowledge. This is an important part of the Phonics Screening Check that the children complete at the end of year 1.
We make sure that pupils read books that are closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and ability to read ‘tricky words’; so they experience early reading success and gain confidence that they are readers, as well as consolidating the learning that takes place in school. In EYFS and Year 1, children bring home a Read Write Inc scheme reading book that is matched the their stage of the phonics group.
Impact
Children feel confident in using their phonic knowledge and the strategies that they have been taught to read words. This helps them to access a range of material and, in turn, fosters a love of reading.
In short, we aspire for our pupils to:
• read at an age-appropriate level with fluency which enables them to access the broader curriculum
• develop a life-long love of reading where they read widely and often, with fluency and comprehension.
• Achieve well at EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 assessment points
• Have the required phonics skills to pass Year 1 phonic screening check on the first attempt
How you can help at home!
- Read to them and always discuss the story you are reading to try to build your child’s comprehension skills, inference and understanding.
- Listen to your child read every day.
- Talk to them! The most important thing you can do is to talk to your child and listen to them when they are talking to you. Try to extend their vocabulary range and their skill at talking in increasingly more complex sentences. For example, try to teach them alternative words for ideas, or nouns they already know.
- Make sure that they attend school every day, and that they are on time, as this will help your child to make the most progress.