Reading and Phonics

Welcome to our dedicated page on Reading and Phonics at Dunn Street Primary. We are committed to providing a robust foundation in literacy for all our pupils, ensuring they acquire the essential skills needed to thrive in their academic journeys and beyond. A key component of our literacy programme is the Read Write Inc phonics scheme, designed to foster strong reading and writing abilities from an early age.

At Dunn Street Primary, we understand the importance of parental involvement in children's education. The Read Write Inc program not only supports children in becoming fluent readers but also gives them the confidence to explore writing independently. Our teachers are highly trained in delivering this programme, ensuring that each child receives the attention and tailored instruction they need to progress.

We encourage parents to engage with their children's reading journey at home. To support this, we offer various resources and workshops that explain the Read Write Inc strategies and provide practical advice on how to assist your children. Together, we can build a strong literacy foundation, empowering our pupils to achieve their full potential.

Intent 

At Dunn Street Primary, we believe that learning to read is one of the most important foundations for future learning. Our aim is for every pupil, regardless of background, starting point or additional need, to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to become an accurate, fluent and enthusiastic reader.

Our approach begins in Early Years, where children develop the communication, language, vocabulary, listening and phonological awareness that provide the foundations for successful reading. From Reception, pupils follow Read Write Inc. (RWI), providing a structured and systematic approach to the teaching of phonics, decoding and blending.

We recognise that pupils enter Dunn Street with a wide range of experiences and starting points. Our priority is therefore to identify gaps early, provide additional practice and support pupils to keep up wherever possible. Pupils continue to receive structured phonics teaching for as long as they need it, ensuring that difficulties with reading do not become a barrier to accessing the wider curriculum.

Alongside the teaching of phonics, we foster a love of reading through stories, rhymes, poetry and a rich range of high-quality texts. Our aim is for pupils to develop the foundational reading skills, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and enjoyment of reading needed to succeed across the curriculum and at the next stage of their education.

To find out more for parents click on the link to the Read Write Inc. parents page.

Implementation

Early reading begins in our Early Years provision, where children experience a language-rich environment. Stories, songs, rhymes, quality interactions and opportunities to listen and talk develop vocabulary, listening, sound discrimination, oral blending and phonological awareness.

From Reception, pupils are taught phonics through Read Write Inc. RWI is taught daily, with a clear and systematic progression that enables pupils to learn sounds, decode words using continuous blending and develop increasing accuracy and fluency.

Regular RWI assessments, led and monitored by the Phonics Lead, ensure pupils are grouped according to their stage of reading development and that teaching is closely matched to what they need to learn next. Assessment is used to identify gaps quickly and pupils who are at risk of falling behind receive additional practice, small-group or one-to-one support to help them keep up.

Decodable books are closely matched to pupils' developing phonics knowledge so that they can practise and consolidate what they have been taught. Alongside these books, pupils experience high-quality stories, poetry and a wide range of literature through daily reading opportunities and story sharing, developing vocabulary, comprehension and reading for pleasure.

RWI continues through Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2 where pupils still require systematic phonics teaching. Pupils may continue to access RWI through to Year 4, or for as long as it remains appropriate to their stage of reading development. Beyond Year 4, pupils who have not yet secured the foundational reading skills they need are supported through Read Write Inc. Fresh Start, providing age-appropriate support with decoding, fluency and comprehension.

Teachers and teaching assistants receive regular RWI training and support to ensure consistent approaches and routines across school. The Phonics Lead monitors teaching, assessment, progress and intervention to ensure that provision remains responsive to pupils' needs.

Home and school work together to support reading development. Appropriately matched reading books, Reading Records and guidance for families encourage regular practice and help pupils develop positive reading habits beyond the classroom.

Impact

Through our consistent approach to phonics and early reading, pupils develop secure foundational reading knowledge and skills and become increasingly accurate, fluent and confident readers.

Assessment information, including ongoing RWI assessment and the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, is used alongside monitoring of teaching and pupils' reading to evaluate the impact of provision. This enables leaders and teachers to identify pupils who require further support and respond quickly where gaps remain.

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND and those with different starting points, are supported to make suitable progress and develop the reading skills they need to access learning across the curriculum. Pupils who require phonics beyond Key Stage 1 continue to receive appropriately targeted teaching rather than having support removed because of their age.

Alongside developing the mechanics of reading, pupils develop confidence, enjoyment and positive attitudes towards books. They read increasingly widely, talk about what they have read and recognise themselves as successful readers.

Ultimately, pupils leave our phonics and early reading programme with the foundational knowledge, fluency, confidence and love of reading needed to access the wider curriculum and be well prepared for the next stage of their education.

 

eyfs nursery phonics overview dunn street.pdf

 

phonics curriculum overview dunn street.pdf