Phonics
"I love learning new sounds in phonics, I can show my brother how to spell and we play the fun games at home...I think Bug makes reading fun!"
(Reception Child)
Intent
At Great Kimble we value reading and writing as a life skill, and are dedicated to enabling our pupils to be excited about reading. The teaching of reading has a high priority throughout our curriculum.
This begins with the systematic teaching of phonics throughout EYFS and Key Stage 1, and for pupils in KS2 where needed. Through a structured and consistent approach to the teaching of phonics, pupils acquire phonic knowledge and develop key skills in segmenting and blending, where possible building on previous learning, to become a confident and fluent reader. They will apply this knowledge when reading carefully matched texts.
At Great Kimble we also value and encourage pupils to read for enjoyment and recognise this starts with the foundations of being exposed to a range of high-quality texts; through their own reading, a language rich reading environment and being read to regularly by adults.
We aim for children to read words and simple sentences by the end of EYFS, become successful, fluent readers by the end of Key Stage 1 and develop a lifelong love of reading as they move through school, showing a greater understanding of more complex texts as they do so.
Implementation
Impact
What you will see:
All children fully engaged in their learning.
Confident readers who are well equipped to have a go at a tricky text.
Children who enjoy reading and are keen to share this enjoyment with others
Children who can use their phonics knowledge to help them segment and blend words when reading and spelling.
How we know how well our pupils are doing:
Adults listen to all children read at least once a week.
Bug Club end of unit assessments highlight gaps and support the development of interventions.
Lowest 20% of readers are given extra reading support.
Phonics screening practices take place in Year 1 during the Spring term.
The impact of the teaching:
All children have an enjoyment of reading.
Children are confident in their ability to read familiar and unfamiliar texts and show the resilience to have a go.
By the end of KS1 all children have a solid phonic knowledge that will enable them to develop their reading and spelling as they progress through KS2.
Children are equipped with the tools they need to help them spell and read a variety of simple and tricky words.
The children meeting the required pass rate in the phonics screening test at the end of Year 1 is at least at national level and the same for those who take the phonics re-sit in Year 2.
Children entering KS2 who need extra support are highlighted early and interventions are developed to support their phonic gaps.
What do the Children of Great Kimble say about Phonics?
I like using magnetic letters when we are with Mrs. Hunt, I show Mummy how to spell at home (Reception Child)
I like playing at the Bug Club phonics table, my favourite thing is the sound pebbles and making words with them. (Reception Child)
I think the letter videos are funny and I like using my magic finger to write them in the sky! Bug helps me sound out and I can do it so good now! (Reception Child)
I really like Bug Club Phonics, Sometimes I forget my sounds but we go over them so I remember, the Alphabet song is fun! I sing it at home. (Year 1 Child)
Phonics helps me learn to spell and our teacher makes it fun. (Year 1 Child)
I like reading my bug club books at home, my Daddy listens to me. Bug Club helps my spelling and reading. (Year 2 Child)
Phonics In Action
We love singing the Bug Club Alphabet song in Reception!
