Phonics

At Wilby phonics is taught following the Little Wandle synthetic phonics program.  This is a comprehensive programme that teaches the GPCs alongside progressive blending skills with word cards.  The programme is regularly assessed and children’s gaps in learning are quickly identified.  These gaps are then taught in groups or 1:1 through daily keeping up sessions.  Alongside these sessions the children are given accurately matched reading books that go alongside the scheme.  All staff have been trained to deliver the sessions and the scheme provides a consistent approach that reduces cognitive load.  The scheme’s support material uses consistent mnemonics and key phrases that aid children with embedding learning and all support material is consistent which further reduces cognitive load.  Each lesson reviews previous learning as well as teaching new learning so that children get regular opportunities to deepen their learning.  Little Wandle also teaches tricky words from both letters and sounds and the common exception words and supports handwriting by using letter formation phrases for both lower case and capital letters.

Reading

Children in Reception and Key stage 1 are given a reading book that is accurately matched to their phonic ability.  The Little Wandle scheme uses regular half termly assessments to guide teachers to the correct reading level.  The children have at least three taught reading sessions a week.  These sessions are taught in groups and cover three aspects of reading: fluency, prosody and comprehension so from their first experience of reading children are taught to develop all the skills required to succeed and enjoy reading.

Once the children have completed the Little Wandle reading scheme they become free readers.  At Wilby, we aim to teach all children to read and be readers.  As a free reader the children are encourage to choose books that inspire them and that they will enjoy.  To ensure rigour and that the books are well-matched class teachers and LSAs read regularly with all children.  Children that are free readers have 5 whole class reading sessions per week using a high quality text.  The sessions are a whole class shared reading, lesson on key vocabulary, guided sessions where children work on their individual needs, a comprehension lesson and a session on reading for pleasure. This process teaches key reading skills and ensures time is given to the enjoyment of books.  Classes also experience a range of texts as class readers to further again to provide the essential time to share a love of books and develop the children’s cultural capital. 

Writing

At Wilby we use talk for writing, this ensures children have a secure model on which to base their writing. The children are then taught to use this model to innovate and invent their own texts.  It ensures they are taught a wide variety of genres and have the opportunity to experience and use a hugh quality text.  The genres are built on throughout the years so that each year children can add to their previous learning and develop their skills within the genre. 

Each class also teaches a range of basic skills. The children who need it have daily handwriting sessions, as this is a skill that has been heavily impacted by home online learning.  Discrete grammar skills are reinforced using golden sentences.  This ensures children develop a secure understanding of the organisation of sentences.  The golden sentences approach allows for easy differentiation and give the children the opportunity to reflect on and analyse their writing so they can make improvements.   Basic writing skills have also been affected by home online learning so the daily practise of these skills have been made a priority.

Once children have completed the Little Wandle phonics scheme, Spelling is taught following the sequence of lessons on the spelling shed scheme.  Spelling shed has been chosen as it closely matches expectations of the national curriculum.  It allows teachers to personalise learning and add any spellings that may be pertinent to the class, group or individual child.  It also allows children to practise at home online in an engaging and challenging format. 

All these separate elements combined allow us to ensure children are making progress in all the English key concepts outlined in the English vision. 

You can find our whole school curriculum vision for English here.  

You can find our progression of knowledge and skills for Reading and Writing here.