What is Phonics?

At Gorringe Park Primary, we teach phonics using the Sounds-Write programme throughout the school. It is a structured phonics programme that we currently use daily for whole class phonics sessions and catch up interventions.

It teaches the three essential skills of:

• Segmenting - breaking a word into sounds;
• Blending – putting sounds together to make a word;
• Phoneme manipulation - swapping a sound in a word to make a different word e. mat, pat, cat.

To become a fluent reader and speller, a child needs to grasp 4 areas of conceptual understanding. Letters are symbols that represent sounds.

1. Each sound may be spelt with one or more letters.
2. Sounds may be written in more than one way e.g. mail, tray, cake, great have the same sound /ae/ however it is spelt differently.
3. Many spellings can be used for one sound.

In KS1, children build onto this skill by learning that words may have the same sounds but are spelt differently.

For example:            

        snow      coat        so         home       toe

Early Reading

At Gorringe Park, our intention is for all children, regardless of background, will become fluent readers and develop a life-long love of reading.

In the Early Years and Key Stage One, children have the opportunity to read books that are in line with their developing phonics knowledge within a whole class setting, in small groups and one to one with an adult.

We use the Dandelion Reading scheme which is closely linked to the structure of the Sounds-Write phonics programme.  The books are designed to engage and enthuse beginner readers and encourages reading success and building of confidence from the very beginning.

We believe in a strong partnership with parents and carers as the first educators of children and therefore strongly encourage reading at home. Children are encouraged to take home two books; one that is closely linked to their phonics ability from the Dandelion Reading Scheme and another of their choice from the class library to share with their adults that promotes a love of reading.

 Tips for parents:

• It is very important to say the letter sound and not the letter name.
• Write letters in lower case and not capitals.
• Start with words known as CVC words (consonant, vowel, consonant e.g. mat).
• To progress onto CVCC (went) CCVC   (tram)

https://sounds-write.co.uk/support-for-parents-and-carers/

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/3-5-years/letters-and-sounds

For further support on early reading please use the links below:

https://www.phonicbooks.co.uk/advice-and-resources/advice-and-resources-for-parents/

An introduction to Dandelion Books - https://youtu.be/AVve7Pt1Jxw