Phonics and Reading at St John XXIII Catholic Primary School

We are dedicated to fostering a love of reading in our students from an early age. Our structured reading programs are tailored to each stage of learning, ensuring a solid foundation and progressive development in literacy skills. In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 (KS1), we utilize book bands to carefully grade and match books to each child's reading ability, promoting confidence and fluency. As our students advance to Key Stage 2 (KS2), they transition into the Accelerated Reader program, which further enhances their comprehension skills and nurtures a lifelong passion for reading. We believe that parental involvement is crucial in this journey, and we encourage you to engage actively with your child’s reading progress.

Intent

At St John XXIII, reading is at the heart of our curriculum because it opens the door to learning, understanding and opportunity. Inspired by Pope Leo’s Maps of Hope, we guide every child on a journey to become confident, fluent and lifelong readers. 

Our reading curriculum is carefully sequenced so that children develop strong phonics skills and early fluency before moving on to comprehension, inference and critical thinking. We ensure that key reading knowledge is revisited and deepened over time so that children build secure understanding and long-term confidence. 

We provide a rich reading culture through high-quality texts, engaging reading corners, daily story time and structured reading sessions. Vocabulary is taught explicitly and embedded through every subject, enabling pupils to access the full curriculum and communicate their ideas clearly. 

We hold high expectations for all learners and provide targeted support so that every child can experience success in reading. Our aim is for pupils to leave St John XXIII as confident, enthusiastic readers who read for pleasure, knowledge and personal growth. 

Through Reading, our pupils will: 

• Communicate with confidence and clarity, using rich vocabulary to express their ideas and deepen their understanding. 
• Journey as resilient learners, developing fluency and comprehension through perseverance and practice. 
• Recognise their God-given dignity and potential, understanding that every child can become a successful reader. 
• Step forward with ambition and purpose, reading for pleasure, learning and life beyond primary school. 

Implementation

The systematic teaching of phonics has a high priority throughout Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Phonics is taught, using the Read, Write, Inc. programme, daily to all children in Foundation Stage, Year 1 and those in Year 2 who have not passed phonics screening in Year 1. All staff (teachers, TAs and LSAs) have been trained to teach these sessions and receive continuous coaching and development form the Reading Lead.  

Using the scheme, staff systematically teach learners the relationship between sounds and the written spelling patterns, or graphemes, which represent them. Phonics is delivered in ability-group format in EYFS and KS1, because it enables staff to ensure application across subjects, embedding the process in a rich literacy environment for early readers. In these phonics groups, children also develop their reading comprehension through guided reading and questioning. 

Timely intervention is planned for those children who are working below expected levels as soon as needs are identified. (ELS, Language for Thinking, 1:1 Phonics tutoring). These groups are organised thorugh half termly RWI assessments and follow the reading books in the scheme. In EYFS and KS1 we hold annual Reading and Phonics workshops to support parental knowledge and understanding.  

Once children are confidently reading and have finished the Read, Write, Inc. phonics programme, they move on to the Accelerated Reader levelled book programme.  This generally happens when pupils are in Year 2. These books are carefully levelled and the children are assessed and given a ZPD score of books that match the pupils ability. This gives children a wide range of texts to access to develop their pleasure in reading. The reading lead and class teacher has the responsibility to ensure progression and challenge in the reading materials selected for all children. In Year 3 and 4, children take part in daily grouped guided reading session and as they move in to Year 5 and 6, the children take part in whole class guided reading sessions. All teachers use these to introduce pupils to a range of genres and to teach a range of techniques which enable children to comprehend the meaning of what they read. 

Class texts are carefully selected by teachers with the knowledge of how they link to other areas of the curriculum. All classrooms have their own class reading areas with topic themed books, and it is intended that these areas are further enhanced this year. Any children not making the expected progress have 1:1 or small group intervention using bespoke packages as well as daily reading. 

Impact

At St John XXIII, all pupils are entitled to access RWI resources and teachings at a level appropriate to their needs arising from race, gender, ability or disability. This begins on entry to Nursery or Reception. 

A range of inclusion strategies, as listed on the school’s inclusion planning key, are embedded in practice and teachers are aware of the special educational needs of the children in their RWI group, as well as those who are on Pupil Premium and who have English as an additional language.  

As a result of high quality phonics provision, children make good progress from their starting points. The vast majority are ready for the next stage in their education as they transfer through Early Years, Key Stage 1 and into Key Stage 2. Many children accelerate progress during these years from baseline below ARE to meeting expectations in phonics, reading and writing.  

We firmly believe that reading is the key to all learning and so the impact of our phonics and reading curriculum goes beyond the results of the statutory assessments and can be seen in success across the curriculum as children progress through school.  

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: 

In Class Feedback 

We understand that feedback in linked to progress and has to be timely to make an impact. In class feedback is used to support teacher’s workload, ensure it is as immediate and timely and specific as possible, and leaves the teacher time to focus on individual identified needs.  

Corrective Teaching/Summative Assessment 

When a pupil has not met the learning objective there is timely support so they are able to continue on the learning journey with their peers. Teachers adapt their planning for the next lesson to ensure there is time to address these misconceptions. It may be addressed in the next lesson, by a Teaching Assistant, in small groups in the lesson or at Booster Clubs. The misconceptions may also be addressed through in class marking, conferencing, verbal feedback or with the use of mini plenaries. Gaps in RWI assessments are shared with phonics teachers and re-capped as necessary. 

Pre Teaching/Pre Assessment 

All teachers must be aware of the pupil’s prior attainment. Through our Pre Learning Assessments (PIRA, PUMA and White Rose Maths tests) we aim to pre-empt the difficulties for some pupils. We analyse the information and plan the learning according to individual needs and cohorts. The Pre Learning Assessments provide the starting points for learning. Where possible, the Teaching Assistants support teachers and complete pre-learning activities or activities in lessons will be tailored to address the learning gap. This might be re visiting vocabulary or basic skills needed to access the age related objective.  

Teaching Assistants and Interventions 

When we identify need, the Teaching Assistants deliver short, focused, interventions in RWI. These are either 1:1 or small groups. The interventions are repeated over a week, either, daily or a specified number of times per week. The interventions are specific to the need and they are given until the misconceptions are addressed or the gap in learning is reduced.  

Same day interventions are also used to pick up on misconceptions from the current days teaching and learning.  

Partnership 

Teachers engage parents through September welcome meetings. Fortnightly newsletters and Parent Consultation Days ensure an effective partnership to ensure children meet their age related expectations.  

Moderation 

Maths, reading and writing are all moderated internally to ensure we make robust judgements, particularly on transfer between key stages. Teachers also take part in external moderation at a Local Authority and Deanery level. Every term, teachers meet to moderate writing and ensure that teacher assessments are accurate.  

Formal Assessment Cycle 

• KS1/KS2 SAT’s in May 
• Year 1 Phonics in June (inc Year 2 re-sits)
• Continuous Accelerated Reader Quizzes alongside Termly AR assesments.  
• Reading is assessed half termly using the RWI Assessments in Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and for those children in Year 3 still on the book bands.  
• Target Tracker is used termly to track attainment and progress against the subject specific learning objectives. This is in Reading, Writing, Maths, Science and RE. This is then analysed in pupil progress meetings and new targets planned accordingly. 
• Foundation Subjects are assessed in groups of children meeting the expected standard, working below/above the expected standard. This will be based upon ‘low risk quizzes’ and with use of the Knowledge Organisers.  
• Pupil voice is also carried out to evaluate children’s enjoyment and enthusiasm for reading. 

School reports 

School reports are issued at the end of the school year. All subjects, including RE, are marked as Working towards National Expectations, Meeting National Expectations or Exceeding National Expectations.

Phonics and Reading Long Term Curriculum and Progression Map

Reading Long term Curriculum Map and Progression of Skills Map 

 

Phonics

 

Phonics Practice

* Consistency

* Progression and pace

* Linking phonics to reading and writing

* Direct teaching

* Fast, repeated practise

* Use of fully decodable books

* Early identification of children in danger of falling behind

* Effective keep-up support

Consistency of Approach

• Pronunciation of phonemes: Phonemes 

• Use of terminology:

Consistent terminology is used with the children.

• Sequence and progression through Read Write Inc:

Sets 1, 2 and 3 are taught in a specific sequence using the RWI planning in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (See Long-term planning)

• Support materials used:

Oxford Owl, Ruth Miskin website, 

Each class from Nursery to Year 2 has fully decodable books linked to the sounds learnt in class and comprehensive Read Write inc teaching resources. One-to-one RWI tutoring resources are available for intervention purposes from Reception onwards and tutoring videos available to train staff from the Ruth Miskin portal. These are the primary resources to be used with the lowest 20% of readers.

• Teaching routines and rhymes:

We use high quality Speed sound cards for Sets 1, 2 and 3 to teach the pure sounds with images on the reverse of the Speed Sound card to enable pupils to understand the sounds linked to the images. We have a RWI rhyme to repeat for each sound, i.e. “oa” is “Goat in a boat”, “ee” is “What can you see?”

We have the Simple Sound chart on display to refer to during lessons so children can keep track of the sounds in the Read Write Inc. lessons. This chart contains primarily set 1 sounds.

We use Green words for each sounds, to enable pupils to “Fred Talk/ Fred-in-your-head” (segment) and “Read the Word” (blend the sounds together).

For Sets 1 and 2, we use sound buttons on the green word cards to enable pupils to “Fred Talk” and then blend the words.

For Sets 2 and Set 3, the Green sound cards have sound buttons on one side and no sound buttons on the other side to encourage speed reading.  

We use “Fred Fingers” to segment the words and spell the words on our fingers before writing them down on paper.

We have Red word cards to encourage the learning and daily practice of High frequency words.

As children move up the levels, more unusual correspondences that they need to learn are pointed out to them as alternatives on the Complex Speed Sound chart which contains sets 2 and 3 sounds, e.g. “ph” is not taught as a sound but as an alternative to the more common spelling “f”.

Links to Reading and Writing

Links to phonics are made across the curriculum and applied throughout the school day. Children apply their knowledge of phonics through reading and writing on a daily basis. In Early Years this includes during their independent learning time throughout the environment.

Teaching Sequence:

• Consistent behaviour management techniques
• High quality resources
• Attention, Practice and Application
• Positive praises throughout the lesso 

Reading

Accelerated Reader is a programme that helps children develop their reading skills and understanding of the books they read. Once your child has completed the Read Write Inc Phonics programme, they will begin bringing home Accelerated Reader books, which are carefully levelled and colour-stickered to match their reading ability.

• At home, your child can:

  • Read their Accelerated Reader book (or a book on myON, our online library).

  • Complete a short comprehension quiz online about the book they have read.

  • Track their progress and celebrate their achievements as they move through the levels.

  These quizzes check how well your child has understood their reading and help teachers to see the progress they are making. The more they read and quiz, the more confident and fluent they will become as readers.

myON is our online library, giving children access to a wide range of age-appropriate eBooks that can be read at home and in school. Each book is linked to the Accelerated Reader programme, which means children can quiz on the books they read in myON just like they do with their colour-stickered Accelerated Reader books.

Children can:

• Choose from thousands of digital books tailored to their reading level.

• Enjoy fiction and non-fiction texts to broaden their knowledge and interests.

• Take Accelerated Reader quizzes after reading to check their understanding.

myON helps children develop a love of reading by giving them choice and variety, while also supporting progress in comprehension.

 We encourage children to use these platforms regularly at home to build fluency and confidence in their reading skills.

Whole Class Reading

We teach reading skills through whole-class reading lessons. Whole class reading lessons offer opportunities to model, demonstrate and practise reading aloud with fluency and expression, when children can listen to the teacher and then have a go for themselves, making their reading aloud sound natural and confident. In addition, the whole-class lesson offers those useful moments to address a point of grammatical terminology, encompassing every listener at once on a given point.

Elements of reading in whole class reading lessons

1. The teacher reading aloud
2. Pupils reading
3. The teacher’s modelling and explanation
4. Questioning

The sessions aim to support pupils in developing fluency, accuracy and automaticity necessary to comprehend written texts. 

Reading Culture

What Makes Our School a Reading School?

• Accelerated Reader programme Year 2 to Year 6: online reading, ZPD, testing, quizzes; coded books that enable children to choose books at their level of interest and ability (ZPD)
• A high quality phonics programme (see above)
• High quality texts: our children are exposed to a variety of diverse authors
• The whole class teaching of reading that focuses on developing fluency, accuracy speed and intonation, and comprehension skills
• Exposure to high quality vocabulary across all subject areas. Our curriculum is structured around developing: spoken vocabulary, vocabulary for written texts and subject-specific and academic language
• Dedicated time for daily read-aloud sessions across all year groups from EYFS to Year 6
• We encourage a sense of fun for reading
• We have invested in the Power of Reading programme which exposes our children to a wide variety of texts accredited by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE)
• We ensure that the Read Write Inc home readers are decodeable and matched with the child’s ability
• World book day
• National Poetry day
• Roald Dahl day
• Book Week with associated activities
• Workshops for parents

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