At Gaddesby Primary School we use Twinkl Phonics. Each lesson provides a structured approach to learning grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs), perfect for helping children progress from simple sounds to developing more complex knowledge and skills. Our multisensory approach includes: engaging activities focused on developing and applying reading and writing skills. We use fun mnemonics and actions to reinforce sound and letter recognition. Active repetition is used to ensure rapid recall of GPCs and common exceptions words at each level.
Individual reading books are matched to each phonics level. We use a variety of reading books to keep the focus on phonics, with clear progression and support for children’s early decoding skills as they move through each level. This method ensures children only read the sounds and tricky words they’ve already learnt. Each book is fully decodable.
We passionately believe that teaching children to read and write independently, as quickly as possible, is one of the core purposes of a primary school.
Aims:
The teaching of phonics using Twinkl Phonics is broken down into 6 levels that develop the children’s abilities. We follow a rigorous long-term plan to ensure that EYFS and KS1 cover all six levels by the end of Key Stage 1.
Teaching and Learning of Phonics
| 2023-2024 | Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
| EYFS | Level 1 & 2 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 3 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
| Year 1 | Recap Level 3/4 | Level 5a | Level 5a/b | Level 5b | Level 5c | Level 5c |
| Year 2 | Recap Level 5c | Level 6a | Level 6a/b | Level 6b | Level 6c | Level 6c |
Twinkl Phonics
At Gaddesby Primary School we use Twinkl Phonics across Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Twinkl Phonics is a structured, systematic and fun programme. It is a joyful, systematic approach that uses stories to contextualise the phonemes, ensuring high level engagement right from the start. Each grapheme is introduced with a story and reading and writing activities to match that level. The children learn and practise the graphemes and common exception words through a range of different activities.
Teaching Style: EYFS and KS1
At Gaddesby Primary School, we believe that reading and writing is an essential life skill and are dedicated to enabling our children to become enthused, engaged and successful lifelong readers and writers. To support this, we implement daily phonics sessions, whereby the children learn new phonemes, improve their ability to segment and blend sounds, and their ability to apply this knowledge into their reading and writing.
In the Autumn Term, the Foundation Stage children initially explore Level 1 phonics before progressing on to being taught Level 2 graphemes. The children will learn to recognise, form and use these phonemes in simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words to begin to read and write simple words and captions. Once they have conquered this skill, they start reading stories and texts that have words made up of the sounds they know. This means that they can embed and apply their phonic knowledge and start to build their reading fluency. Once secure, the children move on to Level 3 whereby they will learn new graphemes and digraphs, improve their reading fluency and develop a greater writing ability. Throughout this process there is a focus on comprehension, reading with expression and reading for enjoyment.
Throughout Early Years and Key Stage One, children are taught in whole class lessons. Teachers and Learning Support Assistants regularly assess the children at each level using individual and whole class tracking. These assessments ensure the planning meets the needs of the children in that class and that all children are confident before moving onto a new phonics level and wave 2 interventions can be put in place, if needed.
In addition to this, all children are regularly assessed in reading to ensure their reading books are at the correct phonics level. We ensure that pupils read books that are matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and ability to read common exception words; so they experience early reading success and gain confidence that they are readers, as well as consolidating the learning that takes place in school.
The children are made aware of each level through the teaching of skills and working walls displayed in every classroom (KS1 specific).
Each year group plans phonics lessons using the sequence:
- Revisit and Review
- Teach
- Practise
- Apply
- Assess learning against the criteria
Spellings
In Key Stage 1 children have weekly spelling tests which are based on the grapheme or spelling rule and common exception words they are learning that week.
Here are some handy ideas to help your child learn their spellings at home. Spelling Ideas
Impact
By the time children finish Key Stage 1 they will have been taught all six levels of Twinkl Phonics.
Phonics will be assessed using:
- Teacher tracking and assessments both summative and formative
- Individual and whole class regular phonics and reading tracking and assessment
- Phonics Screening Mock Test in the Spring Term with a breakdown of results and next steps for the Summer Term with additional mock checks in May
- Phonics Screening Check in June for Year 1 and Year 2 Retakes
- Reading and Writing Trackers
2023-2024
Hello, we will be running a phonics workshop this year– date and time to be confirmed in due course and we will be sending parents a letter to confirm arrangements.
In the meantime why don’t you watch our phonic videos that we have filmed in previous year, that give lots of information on how we teach phonics at Gaddesby Primary School.
If you do have any burning questions, or would like further information on phonics, please email your child’s class teacher. We are always available to help!
Mrs Benney, Mrs Meredith, Mrs Broughton, Mrs Clark and Mrs Mitchell
EYFS Phonics
If you were unable to attend our phonics workshop, please do not worry. Here are some recorded videos from previous years.
PowerPoints
Phonics Workshop PowerPoint Updated 2023(opens in new tab)– Attached is the PowerPoint that we deliver to parents. Contained within is information on the different levels that we teach and also some handy websites that you can access at home.
Please watch this video to help you in your articulation of your sounds at home. Dirty sounds– put them back in!
How Children Learn Phonics A Presentation For Parents And Carers Powerpoint (opens in new tab)— if you would like a little extra bedtime reading, this PowerPoint is incredibly useful in providing you with more information on phonics.
Count The Phonemes(opens in new tab)— how many phonemes can you spot?
Phonics Information For Parents 2023(opens in new tab)— Attached is a document that summarises some of the information on our video for you.
Introduction To Phonics Handout —(opens in new tab) this is a handy document created by Twinkl that gives further information on phonics.
Reading Ideas For Parents(opens in new tab)
Sounds Learned In Levels(opens in new tab)
Year 1 Phonics Screening Info Hand Out(opens in new tab)— At the end of Year 1 your child will complete a phonics screening. This is nothing to worry about and we do lots of practising before the screen takes place.
Year 1 Phonics Screening Check A Guide For Parents–(opens in new tab) this is a handy document created by Twinkl that gives further information on the phonics screen.
EYFS Reading Booklet 2023(opens in new tab)
Reading Booklet Year 1(opens in new tab)