Reading & Phonics
The ability to read is fundamental to pupils’ learning across the curriculum, their ability to be independent and their future life choices, allowing them to 'Let their Lights Shine.'
At the heart of our teaching are our Christian Values, our BOOKS approach to learning (Bravery, Outward-facing, Opportunities, Knowledge and Skills and Spirituality) and our desire to make sure every child can Let Their Light Shine (Matthew 5).
Reading development is closely related to that of phonics, speaking and listening and of writing. By reflecting upon and talking about the stories and texts they encounter, pupils are better able to make sense of their own experiences of the world and their place in it; by considering the effects of language and structures used by writers, pupils are able to make deliberate stylistic choices in their own writing.
As a school we use a wide range of reading schemes that are book banded and we use a synthetic approach to phonics to support the development of early reading.
Our Aims
- To teach the essential skill of reading and develop this to a high standard for all pupils.
- To promote a culture of reading for learning and reading for pleasure.
- To benefit from a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics from entry to school
- To have regular access to high quality phonics teaching which secures the crucial skills of work recognition that enables children to read fluently, freeing them to concentrate on the meaning of the text
- To enjoy a multisensory approach to phonics ensuring the visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles of children are engaged
- To encourage children to attempt to spell words for themselves, within the range of their subject knowledge, by building an individual repertoire and the confidence and strategies to attempt the unfamiliar
- To help children to use the skills of blending and segmenting in order to read and spell words
- To facilitate independent learning and progress across the curriculum.
- To prepare pupils for the next stage in their education.
All phonics in EYFS and Year 1 is taught following the Little Wandle programme. Pupils from Year 1 onwards engage in Pathways to Read lessons, Pathways to Write and Pathways to spell.
All KS1 classroom environments have an age appropriate display concentrating on sounds and key words. At Tarporley CE Primary School we provide ample opportunities to reinforce and apply acquired phonic knowledge and skills across the curriculum.
