Phonics
Welcome To
Phonics
Our Vision for Phonics
At St John’s Stonefold, we believe that reading is the key to unlocking the wider curriculum and enabling every child to flourish. Rooted and established in God’s love and guided by our Christian EAGLE values of Empathy, Aspiration, Generosity, Love and Endurance, we nurture confident, enthusiastic and capable readers who develop a lifelong love of reading and the ambition to soar.
Through the systematic teaching of phonics using the Read Write Inc. (RWI) programme, we ensure every child develops the knowledge, confidence and independence needed to become a successful reader and writer. We are committed to providing an ambitious and inclusive early reading curriculum that enables all children to thrive.
Intent
Our phonics curriculum is designed to:
- Ensure a clear and coherent progression of phonics skills from Reception onwards.
- Enable pupils to decode accurately and fluently through a systematic synthetic phonics approach.
- Develop confident, independent readers who can access the wider curriculum successfully.
- Foster a lifelong love of reading through engaging and meaningful experiences.
- Support accurate spelling and writing through secure phonics knowledge.
- Enable pupils to read with fluency, expression and understanding.
- Provide early intervention and support so that every child can succeed.
- Equip children with the skills they need to become confident communicators and lifelong learners.
Implementation
At St John’s Stonefold we teach phonics through the Read Write Inc. Phonics programme. This highly structured and rigorous approach provides children with the skills they need to learn to read quickly and successfully
Children are taught to:
- Learn and apply letter-sound correspondences.
- Blend sounds to read words.
- Segment words for spelling.
- Read common exception words.
- Develop fluency and expression.
- Understand and discuss what they read.
- Write confidently using their growing phonic knowledge.
Daily phonics lessons are fast-paced, engaging and carefully matched to children’s reading ability. Pupils are grouped according to their current stage of reading development and are regularly assessed to ensure they receive teaching at the correct level.
Partner work is an important feature of Read Write Inc., enabling children to practise, explain and consolidate learning whilst developing confidence and communication skills.
Progression Through School
Reception
Children begin by learning the Set 1 sounds and quickly apply these to blending and reading simple words and sentences. Books are carefully matched to their phonic knowledge to ensure early success and confidence. Children also develop early writing skills through daily opportunities to compose and write sentences.
By the end of Reception, children are typically expected to be reading Green or Purple Storybooks.
Year 1
Children continue to develop fluency while learning more complex sounds and spelling patterns. They read increasingly challenging texts and consolidate their decoding skills in preparation for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, which takes place nationally each June.
By the end of Year 1, children are typically expected to be reading Blue Storybooks.
Year 2
As decoding becomes increasingly automatic, children move towards reading longer texts and developing comprehension skills. The focus shifts from learning to read towards reading to learn.
By the end of Year 2, children are expected to be off phonics and working within Read Write Inc. comprehension groups.
Key Stage 2
Children who require additional support continue to access Read Write Inc. intervention sessions to ensure they secure essential reading and phonics knowledge before moving fully into the wider reading curriculum.
Early Reading at St John's Stonefold
Early reading extends beyond the daily phonics lesson.
Children benefit from:
- Daily phonics teaching.
- Carefully matched Read Write Inc. reading books.
- Regular re-reading to build fluency and confidence.
- Daily story time and high-quality class texts.
- Vocabulary-rich conversations.
- Opportunities to develop comprehension and language skills.
- Home reading linked directly to their phonics stage.
Our aim is that every child sees themselves as a reader from the very start of their school journey.
Assessment and Intervention
Children are assessed regularly using Read Write Inc. assessments to ensure they are placed in the correct teaching group. Staff use ongoing daily assessment alongside formal half-termly assessments to monitor progress and identify any gaps in learning.
Where additional support is needed, targeted interventions and one-to-one tutoring enable pupils to make rapid progress and keep up with their peers.
Home Reading
All children take home a reading book matched to the phonics they are currently learning in school. This enables them to practise and consolidate reading skills successfully at home while developing fluency and confidence.
We believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential in helping children become successful readers.
Impact
By the time children complete the Read Write Inc. programme, they will:
- Decode words accurately and automatically.
- Read fluently and with increasing expression.
- Demonstrate strong comprehension skills.
- Spell accurately using phonics knowledge.
- Develop confidence and enjoyment in reading.
- Be prepared to access the wider curriculum successfully.
- View themselves as capable and enthusiastic readers.
What Makes Phonics Special at St John's Stonefold?
- A consistent approach through Read Write Inc.
- Daily, high-quality phonics teaching.
- Rapid identification and support for children who need extra help.
- Books precisely matched to children’s phonic knowledge.
- Strong links between phonics, reading and writing.
- A culture that celebrates reading and fosters a lifelong love of books.
- A commitment to ensuring every child learns to read successfully.
Read Write Inc. Parent Information
We use the nationally recognised Read Write Inc. Phonics programme developed by Ruth Miskin. Read Write Inc. helps children learn to read quickly through a systematic programme of phonics, reading, writing and comprehension.
Parents can find out more about the programme by visiting the official Read Write Inc. website:
