Phonics

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Read, Write Inc

'Teach a child to read and keep that child reading and we will change everything.
And I mean everything.' (Jeanette Winterson)

Phonics is taught daily at Seal from 9.00-9.45, which is why it is essential that your child arrives at school on time. We follow a very successful programme called Read Write Inc (RWI) which teaches systematic synthetic phonics in a fun and engaging way and teaches the children to read for meaning. 

We chose this programme for a number of reasons:

  1. It teaches children how to use phonics for reading and writing

  2. Children are taught how to spell words using the phonics sounds that they are taught

  3. It teaches key vocabulary alongside the phonics

  4. It teaches common exception words 

  5. It has books which are used in daily teaching that allow the children to practice using the phonics skills they are learning and to develop their fluency and comprehension skills

Click here for a parent letter from Read Write Inc. and here for RWI parent FAQs.

Book time

Alongside the daily teaching of new phonic sounds, the children spend 30 minutes reading a storybook or non-fiction book exactly matched to their current phonics level. They spend three or four days reading each book, building their fluency and comprehension with each read.

For home reading Reception and KS1 children come home with 3 books: 

  • The RWI book that they have read that week as part of their phonics lessons

  • A RWI Book Bag Book that is matched to their current level of phonics knowledge

  • A free choice reading book to share at home

How will I know how well my child is doing?

We will always let you know how well your child is doing. 

We use various ways to find out how the children are getting on in reading. We use the information to decide which reading group they should be in. Your child will work with children who are at the same reading level.  Children will move to a different group if they are making faster progress than the others.  Your child will have one-to-one support if we think he or she needs some extra help.  

As your child progresses into Year 1 and beyond, we use a reading test so that we can make sure that all our children are at the level that they should be for their age compared to all the children across the country. 

In the summer term, the government asks us to do a phonics check for all the Year 1 children. That gives us extra information about their progress. We will let you know how your child does in this check. 

Once children have completed the RWI phonics scheme in Year Two, they move into spelling and comprehension sessions, alongside use of Accelerated Reader (AR).

What if my child finds it difficult to learn to read?

Children in Year One have two phonics sessions per day. Any children who are still not secure with their knowledge of phonics will be given additional 1:1 intervention, following the RWI programme. 

What can I do to help? 

Please click on the link access our Seal's RWI Home Reading Guide for information on supporting your child with reading at home, using the books that they come home with. 

For additional resources visit the RWI Oxford Owl parents guide here.

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