Phonics and reading of decodable texts

At South Green Infant and Nursery School we use Rocket Phonics to teach Phonics from Reception to Year 2.  All of our phonically decodable texts are also part of this scheme of work.  In school all of the children in these year groups work from a pupil book, which develops their ability to decode and read phonically decodable words, practise handwriting and apply their phonic knowledge to writing graphemes, improving their spelling of words.

Each lesson uses flash cards in improve recall of the phonemes, then alternates between reading and writing focus days, with Friday's focus being more on reading and writing tricky words.

All resources used at South Green Infant and Nursery school are from the Rocket Phonics scheme of work.  Friezes and sound mats in the classroom are consistent across the school, progressing as the children learn more and more phonemes during their time at school.

Writing

In KS1 children write in two different genres each half term.  That means that they spend approximately 3 weeks on each.  This enables our children to study fiction and non-fiction each half term.  

We make sure that Year 1 and Year 2 are studying the same genre at the same time.  This makes it easier to show the progression from one year to the other.  Teachers work together to ensure that learning is carefully planned in small steps, with clear scaffolding to support all children to be successful.

We structure the learning to ensure vocabulary development, a deepened understanding of the genre and that children have the opportunity to plan and edit their work.

Grammar, spelling and handwriting are included in some aspects of our phonics teaching and taught discreetly.  We have a clear overview of progression for spelling patterns.  Children take part in word quizzes during each week.

Our writing overview shows the books that are used as the focus for modelled writing and plots National curriculum expectations for grammar and punctuation.

All children start writing in a pre-cursive style, developing into cursive, where appropriate at Year 2.

The handwriting patterns used come directly from Rocket Phonics (our SPP).

Spoken Language

At South Green Infant and Nursery School we use a number of widely recognised resources to support and enhance the development of spoken language.  In all classes speaking is encouraged as part of the interaction with children in the continuous provision and developed by adults within the classroom.

The main role of all LSAs within the classroom is to interact with the children in the different areas of provision, modelling use of language and vocabulary specific to the curriculum area, topics covered and needs of the individual child.

All children in Reception are assessed using the Language Screen programme.  This information is used to determine which children would be eligible to take part in the  Nuffield Early Literacy Intervention (NELI).  This is a language and literacy support intervention for children in Reception or moving into Year 1.

In class we use the Universally Speaking and Communicating the Curriculum to assess children in Years 1 and 2.

Children with specific language or speech development concerns are assessment using Talk Boost, in order to plan detailed next steps.