Phonics Scheme

We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised which was validated by the DfE in July 2021.

At Rangeworthy we aim for all of our children to become successful readers, who love reading. In order to decode (read) words, children are taught through a systematic phonics approach following the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised scheme.  Daily, discrete phonics sessions are taught in Reception and Year 1, these sessions are fast paced, interactive and challenging. Children are encouraged to apply their phonics skills across all curriculum areas in both reading and writing. 

We begin teaching phonics in the first few weeks of term 1 in Reception and make rapid progress in their reading journey. Children begin to learn the main sounds heard in the English Language and how they can be represented, as well as learning ‘Tricky words’ for Phases 2, 3 and 4. They use these sounds to read and write simple words, captions and sentences. Children leave Reception being able to apply the phonemes taught within Phase 2, 3 and 4.

In Year 1 through Phase 5, they learn alternative spellings and pronunciations for graphemes and additional Tricky Words. By the end of Year 1 children will have mastered using phonics to decode and blend when reading and segment when spelling. In Year 1 all children are screened using the national Phonics Screening Check.

The full Reception and Year 1 teaching programme overview can be found here

Any child who does not meet age related expectations will continue to receive support to close identified gaps.

The Little Wandle website provides resources to help you support your child with saying their sounds and writing their letters. There are also some useful videos so that you can see how phonics is taught at school and feel confident about supporting your child when reading at home. For further details and resources please follow the link to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Parents information:

For parents | Letters and Sounds

To ensure no child is left behind at any point in the progression, children are regularly assessed and supported to keep up through bespoke 1-1 or small group interventions. These include GPC recognition and blending and segmenting interventions. The lowest attaining 20% of pupils are closely monitored to ensure these interventions have an impact.

Reading

At the Rangeworthy we promote a ‘phonics first’ approach and in both our reading sessions at school and in the books children take home, texts are very closely matched to a child’s current phonics knowledge so that every child can experience real success in their reading. In these crucial early stages of reading we primarily use books from Big Cat to ensure complete fidelity to the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds progression we follow.

Through the use of the robust and systematic teaching of Little Wandle phonics, pupils are provided with decoding, fluency and comprehension skills to become avid, expert readers, ensuring an effective transition into independent reading. 

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home.  There are two types of reading book that your child may bring home:

• A reading practice book. This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently.
• A sharing book.  Your child will not be able to read this on their own. This book is for you both to read and enjoy together.

There are some useful ‘how to’ videos on the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds website showing how to support reading at home.

For parents | Letters and Sounds