How we teach reading

• Reading is taught in tandem with phonics. After a phonics input children across Reception, Y1 & Y2 apply their phonics knowledge by using a fully matched decodable book.
• These daily sessions are 25 minutes long
• There are approximately 6 children in a group and the teacher reads with one group daily. This is called conferencing.
• Children have extra support where appropriate with a trained adult. The focus is on ‘keep up not catch up’.
• The focus in Reception & KS1 is on reading strategies of fluency, decoding and blending.
• Books selected by the teacher show cumulative progress according to the sounds the child has been taught that half term.
• Books show fidelity to the Big Cat Phonics scheme to avoid a mismatch and muddle of a range of approaches.
• The reading sessions follow the model set out in Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised.
• In reception, reading sessions start almost immediately. For children who are not decoding, blending remains a focus.
• Children take home books matched to their ability from the same reading scheme used in class. Children are able to self - select books and can speak well about which books they choose and why.

How we teach phonics

• In Reception and Year 1, children follow the progression within Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme. Phonics is taught for 25 min every day.
• By the end of Reception, children will have been taught up to the end of Phase 3. If they are ready, children may start Phase 4.
• By the end of Year 1, children will have been taught up to the end of Phase 5.
• In Year 2 - Year 3, phonic lessons are taught daily to children where appropriate – following the model of Little Wandle but plugging specific gaps identified through assessment.
• In Year 2 - Year 6 there are planned catch-up sessions following a set model to address specific gaps. These are taking place at least three times a week, and are often used to target new arrival EAL children.
• All staff including support staff have regular CPD and are confident to deliver a quality first phonics session.

Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Phonics

How we assess phonic knowledge

• In Reception and Year 1, at the end of each week there is a review session which recaps the learning. There are also whole review weeks (pre-planned and bespoke review weeks to address gaps identified by the class teacher’s ongoing formative assessment).
• Children identified in Reception and Year 1 in danger of falling behind are immediately identified and daily ‘keep up’ sessions are put in place – sessions follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme.
• In Reception and  Year 1, the children are assessed at the end of every half term using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised assessment tracker.
• Children from Reception to Year 2 are monitored by book band level. This is especially helpful for transition to the next class, so rapid progress can continue.
• Children in Year 1 sit the Phonics Screening Check in the summer term.
• Children who do not pass the Phonics Screening Check in Year 1, will re-sit this in Year 2.
• Children who are currently in KS2 who did not leave KS1 at the expected level are monitored by phonics knowledge and reading progress termly.
• Children who are in Year 2 - Year 6 and need ‘catch up’ sessions are assessed through teacher’s ongoing formative assessment as well as half termly summative assessments.

Every child at Forest Academy will have...·        

• Access to a global curriculum based on a core text approach, where topics are taught through high quality books with relatable themes and protagonists that excite and motivate them.
• Dedicated time each day where an adult will read aloud to them from a carefully selected Reading Canon, aimed to build on their cultural capital.
• Daily opportunities to read to an adult and other children in the classroom. These sessions are prioritised to the first lesson of the day.
• Daily opportunities to engage in quality book talk.
• An engaging, clearly labelled, tidy book corner in their classroom with a range of high quality fiction and non-fiction texts.
• A reading passport to record home reading. Children are awarded a certificate in celebration assembly as they pass through each colour before finally becoming a reading ambassador to promote the love of reading across the school.

• Participation in World Book Week dress up and enrichment events such as author visits and storytelling
• Regular author/ storyteller visits- every child will access at least one author event per year, in addition to World Book Day
• A book fair every term children are timetabled in for browsing sessions. This is also a family participation event.
• A visit to the local library every term
• Pupil Reading Ambassadors that meet regularly and lead reading initiatives to encourage all children to develop a love of reading for pleasure

• A termly phonics workshop where parents learn how to support their child with reading at home
• A weekly parent reading morning in EYFS where parents can join their child and share a book together
• Reading certificates to celebrate home reading
• Some children have access to a trained reading volunteer and their therapy dog Pepsi
• Competitions where children have the chance to have their work published in a book