Phonics

We teach phonics using Twinkl Phonics which is a DfE-validated, fully comprehensive, systematic synthetic phonics teaching programme. We use the programme for children from nursery to Year 2.

All children, in all year groups, receive five phonic lessons per week, with some children receiving additional keep-up interventions.

In the nursery, staff support the children to develop early communication skills and build up their awareness of the different sounds around them. Level 1 focuses on helping children to develop good listening and early speaking skills. As the year progresses a short 5 minute daily phonics input takes place, focusing on the initial sounds in level 2. This level introduces children to 23 sounds 

In Reception, level 2 GPC’s (grapheme – phone correspondence) are consolidated and the children move onto level 3 GPC’s and progress to level 4 by the end of the summer term.

Year 1 begin the autumn term with revision on level 3 and level 4 before learning level 5, which will be completed by the end of the year. In Year 1 the children will learn and consolidate alternative graphemes, digraphs and trigraphs for the phonemes they've been taught.

Year 2 children will revisit level 5 and then move onto level 6 which develops children’s knowledge of spelling patterns. In level 6 the aim is for children to become fluent readers and accurate spellers.

Weekly assessments take place to help inform future planning and to quickly identify any children who have gaps in their phonic knowledge. These children receive keep-up interventions.

• Level 2 sounds and actions Twinkl level 2 sounds and actions

• Level 2 mnemonic songs Twinkl Phonics Level 2 Mnemonic Songs

• Level 3 actions and sounds Twinkl Phonics Level 3 Actions and Sounds

• Level 3 mnemonic songs Twinkl Phonics Level 3 Mnemonic Songs

• Level 5 sounds and actions Twinkl Phonics Level 5 GPCs: Pure Sounds, Actions and Mnemonics

• Level 6 actions and sounds Twinkl Phonics Level 6 GPCs: Pure Sounds and Mnemonics

 

Reading

Reading is at the heart of our curriculum with the aim that every child will leave Deansbrook Infant School with a love of reading. We work closely with our parents to encourage them to read with their children, offering a weekly reading morning during which the adults and children read together.

Once we unlock this passion for reading, we develop and nurture it by promoting different genres, authors and reading materials. Regular visits to the school library offer the children the chance to choose books they are interested in, and story time is an embedded part of the school day. We have a dedicated time each day during which everybody, including the adults, reads a book of their choice in the classroom. This further fosters a love of reading, reinforcing its importance and ensuring the children are exposed to a wide range of vocabulary.