Phonics

At Stratford-sub-Castle Primary School, we follow the newly accredited Essential Letters and Sounds scheme, to ensure consistent, high quality phonics teaching. For more information, please follow this link: https://global.oup.com/education/content/primary/series/essential-letters-and-sounds/?region=uk 

The six phases of the Essential Letters and Sounds document provides a structure for the teachers to follow and plan pupil’s progression. The teachers carefully adapt their planning to meet the needs of the pupils within their class. The teacher’s individual assessments will inform the rate at which the pupils are able to progress through the phrases and adapt their pace accordingly, offering closing the gap interventions immediately if required.

Our aim is for all pupils to ‘KEEP UP not CATCH UP’

Pupils are taught from Phase 2 to Phase 5 during Reception and Year 1. Pupils in Year 2 consolidate learning from Phase 5, as well as learning specific grammar and punctuation outlined in the National Curriculum.

Pupil’s reading books are chosen in alignment with the sounds they are taught, depending on which Phase they are learning. Pupils are given a fully decodable book to take home to consolidate what they have learnt during their Phonics lessons, and to develop their fluency and comprehension skills.