Intent

All learning begins with rich knowledge development for curious minds. Children are actively encouraged to question, explore and make links with prior learning. Within phonics develop confidence in new learning through a rigorous structure regularly revised throughout the day in learning.

To foster mastery in phonics we teach using a progression of steps that refer back to prior learning and strengthen foundation knowledge and develop this further across each year.

Children are encouraged to develop a sense of RESPONSIBILITY for their learning and understand how confidence in reading and writing ensues they can express themselves clearly as members of the COMMUNITY.  We encourage children to PERSEVERE in their learning and show their progress whilst encouraging and supporting others.  This common theme runs throughout the learning at Upton Upon Severn Primary School.

Implementation

Teaching sequences logically build on prior learning. Opportunities to recall prior learning are embedded in lessons and across the day.

Key phonemes and non phonetically-decodable words are shared with children and utilised throughout the learning sequence. The same phonemes can be used as scaffolding for written work or discussions in reading.  Key sounds and home learning opportunities are shared with parents. Some children will spend time revisiting previous phase sounds in small groups to secure good recall.

We follow Fisher Family Trust (FFT) phonics scheme which is an accredited synthetic phonics scheme.  We have daily lessons across EYFS and KS1 where the children build up ne learning; rehearse, review and apply knowledge to move learning to long term memory and rapid recall.

Impact

Children have individual handwriting books, where handwriting and phonics skills are developed.  All pure sounds, diagraphs and tri-graphs that have been taught are visible within the internal and external learning environment.  Non phonetically-plausible words (red words) are also visible and children are encouraged to actively seek them out as part of their learning.  Children are confident and accurate in their use of phonemes they have been taught.

Children can recall links to relevant prior learning as this is implicitly visited over the course of the learning sequence. Children can talk about what they knew then and what they know now as a logical development.  There is a deep understanding of the development from pure (individual letter making a sound) to diagraphs and tri-graphs (2 or 3 letters making a sound) and the children understand this as a progression in their sound awareness.

Children are encouraged to be curious about their own role as learners and encouraged to apply their knowledge in their learning e.g. encoding and unfamiliar spelling in independent writing.

Assessment for learning is consistently planned for and included in lessons through questioning and practical tasks. Teachers consider misconceptions prior to the learning sequence and plan to address and resolve these.  Information gathered from these sources informs next steps in learning with opportunities to strengthen recall incorporated where recall falls below 80%.

Assessment of learning occurs through extended questions requiring application of recalled knowledge e.g. a piece of writing linked to the sounds.