Phonics
Early reading and phonics at Leven CE Primary School is led by Mrs Lee.
High-quality phonics teaching is the foundation of early reading and writing. We follow 'Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised', a systematic, synthetic phonics programme validated by the Department for Education. This ensures that every child receives a consistent, well-structured approach to learning to read from the moment they start school.
Our Approach
Phonics is taught daily in Reception and Year 1, with carefully planned lessons that build children's knowledge of letter-sound correspondence and the skills of blending and segmenting. Teaching follows the Little Wandle progression, ensuring that learning is cumulative and secure.
Children take part in:
- Daily phonics sessions that introduce new sounds and review previous learning.
- Reading practice sessions three times a week using fully decodable books matched to each child's secure phonics knowledge.
- Regular assessment to identify children who need extra support.
- Keep-up sessions that provide targeted, timely intervention.
Reading Practice Sessions
Reading practice sessions focus on three key elements:
- Decoding - applying phonics to read words.
- Prosody - reading with expression and understanding.
- Comprehension - making sense of what has been read.
Children read the same decodable book across the week to build fluency. These books are carefully matched to the sounds they know so that every child experiences success.
Supporting Children Who Need Extra Practice
Some children may need additional support to secure their phonics knowledge. Little Wandle provides a structured keep-up programme that mirrors classroom teaching but in smaller steps. These sessions are short, frequent and personalised to each child's needs.
Phonics in Year 2 and Beyond
In Year 2, children continue following the Little Wandle scheme in order to apply their phonics knowledge as they move into more complex spelling patterns. Those who need further support continue with keep-up sessions to ensure they become confident, fluent readers.
How We Work With Families
We value strong partnerships with parents and carers. To support reading at home, we provide:
- A weekly decoable reading book matched to your child's phonics stage.
- A sharing book to enjoy together and develop a love of reading.
- Information workshops and guidance on how phonics is taught.
- Access to Little Wandle's online resources, including pronunciation videos.
Reading little and often at home makes a big difference to children's progress.