Our Phonics Curriculum Vision

Intent: Building Foundations for Fluent Communication

At Drybrook Primary School, we are dedicated to nurturing the early literacy skills that form the bedrock of all learning. Phonics is the key that unlocks the potential of every child to read and write, fostering their ability to form clear and coherent thoughts and communicate them to the world. Through the Read Write Inc. (RWI) phonics program, we ensure that our children embark on their literacy journey with the best resources at their disposal, aligning with the rigorous standards of the English National Curriculum.

Implementing Read Write Inc. Phonics

RWI is a systematic approach that introduces children to the world of phonetics, equipping them with the skills to decode the written word and develop fluent reading capabilities. Starting in Nursery, RWI immerses children in the sounds of the language, laying the groundwork for rapid progression in reading and writing. Our phonics instruction is tailored to each child's stage, not age, allowing for personalized learning experiences in Reception through to Year 2, and extending support to older children as needed.

We set clear term-by-term expectations for pupil progress, bolstered by the Fast Track Tutoring intervention program, ensuring every child progresses at a pace that is right for them, maintaining the ethos of 'keeping up not catching up'. For Year 5 and 6 pupils who require continued support, the Fresh Start intervention program is in place to provide the necessary assistance.

What Read Write Inc. Encompasses

RWI covers an array of essential literacy skills:

- Reading: Pupils learn 44 sounds and their corresponding letters/letter groups, advancing from simple sound blending to comprehending a range of books matched to their phonic knowledge.
- Writing: Children learn to form letters and write words through mnemonic phrases and develop sentence construction skills.
- Oracy: Through pair work, pupils practice and refine their speaking and listening skills, fostering ambitious vocabulary use.

The Pathway to Mastery

The journey through RWI is carefully structured:

1. Children start with learning the mnemonic for each sound, progressing to Set 1 sounds with accompanying rhymes for letter formation and sound recognition.
2. Set 2 sounds introduce long vowels, enhancing pupils' phonetic understanding.

Parent video: Spelling using Fred fingers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=absSgYIPCns)

3. Mastery of Set 3 sounds rounds off the phonics curriculum, ensuring a comprehensive grasp of the language.

Parent video: How to say the Set 3 sounds (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o2b7nL1jrg)

Reading books

Books tailored to phonics stages are introduced as soon as pupils can blend sounds orally, with the reading process designed to build accuracy, fluency, and expressive reading skills.

Green Words enhance their decoding abilities.

Red Words build a repertoire of sight vocabulary crucial for fluent reading.

Parent video: Sound blending (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNyFikwNQTg)

Supporting Spelling and Handwriting

Spelling with RWI is made tactile through 'Fred fingers', allowing children to segment and spell words confidently. Handwriting is linked to phonics, ensuring that children learn to write letters as they learn the sounds, with fun phrases to aid memory and form.

Parent video: Spelling using Fred fingers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=absSgYIPCns)

Engagement at Home

The partnership with parents is vital; we encourage reading at home, practicing sounds, and engaging with provided materials to reinforce learning. Our open-door policy invites parents to learn more about supporting their child's phonics education.

At Drybrook Primary School, we view phonics as the gateway to literacy, providing our children with the tools they need to become confident readers and writers. Our systematic and supportive approach through RWI ensures that every child has the foundation to succeed and thrive in their educational journey.