Phonics
Intent
At Town Field Primary school, we believe that every child can be a reader. From the start of their learning journey with us, we encourage our children to develop a love of reading.
We aim for all our children to become enthusiastic, fluent and confident readers regardless of their background, needs or abilities. Pupils receive rapid and targeted intervention if they need support to meet age-related expectations. This will provide them with the necessary tools to become successful, independent readers.
Town Field Primary serves a rich and diverse community and we believe that books are a powerful tool to enable our children to look out into, and understand, the world around them. We celebrate this diversity throughout the exploration of a range of high quality and age appropriate stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction texts: this will develop their vocabulary, language comprehension and a love of reading.
Phonics
Please see below some information and parent guides on how we teach phonics in school.
More information is available at the Little Wandle website.
Phase 2 sounds taught in Reception Autumn 1
Phase 2 sounds in Reception Autumn 2
Phase 3 sounds taught in Reception Spring 1
Sequence
At Town Field Primary, we have a rigorous, sequential approach to the reading curriculum. A minimum of two hours per week is dedicated to the teaching of reading in each year group. This time is segmented across the weekly timetable to allow for shorter more frequent sessions. As a result, reading skills are cumulatively built up over the course of the week to enable a deeper understanding of texts.
Teaching and learning strategies
The Town Field Reading Process has been developed to incorporate all the essential elements that underpin the teaching of reading. The Reading Process places age-appropriate, quality texts at the heart of the reading curriculum with children being exposed to a range of stories, poems, rhymes and non-fiction texts.
In order to develop children’s comprehension skills, Reading VIPERS are used during reading lessons. The VIPERS correspond directly with the reading content domains for each year group: they are used to develop children’s understanding of the texts they read through targeted questioning linked to each domain.
Lifelong readers
Town Field Primary is a reading community, with parents, pupils and staff all sharing a love of reading. Classrooms are equipped with a range of high-quality texts for children to enjoy. Daily story time fosters a love for reading through dedicated time to listen to, and engage with, books that our pupils love.
Our children have many opportunities to engage with reading beyond reading lessons to nurture, develop and stretch their talents and interests beyond the school gates. These include events such as World Book Day, Scholastic Book Fair, as well as links with the Doncaster Children’s Library Service. We are also currently part of the National Literacy Trust’s Doncaster Stories project which includes author visits, competitions and many other events to inspire our children.