At Sir Edmund Hillary Academy, we are committed to helping every child become a confident and capable reader and writer. To achieve this, we use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, a structured and systematic approach to phonics teaching.
Phonics teaching begins in Nursery and Reception and follows the Little Wandle progression. This carefully planned sequence enables children to build their understanding of letters and sounds step by step, developing the skills they need to read and spell accurately throughout their school journey.
Through this approach, children gain the confidence to decode and read unfamiliar words independently. We also ensure that phonics skills are applied across the wider curriculum through shared reading and writing activities, both within phonics lessons and in other areas of learning. Alongside this, we place a strong emphasis on language development, recognising that speaking and listening skills are essential foundations for successful reading and writing.
Foundations for phonics in Nursery
In Nursery, children take part in a balanced mix of adult-led and child-led activities that support the development of communication, language, and early literacy skills. These experiences include:
Daily Phonics in Reception and Key Stage 1
Phonics is taught every day through engaging, structured lessons.
By the end of Reception, children are taught to read and spell using Phase 2 and Phase 3 grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs), as well as words containing adjacent consonants from Phase 4, with increasing accuracy and fluency.
In Year 1, children revisit and consolidate Phases 3 and 4 before moving on to Phase 5, where they continue to develop fluent and accurate reading and spelling skills.
Ensuring Every Child Succeeds
We believe that every child can learn to read successfully. Children who need extra support receive daily Keep-up sessions delivered by trained staff.
These sessions closely mirror the teaching that takes place in class, using the same routines, language, and resources. Learning is broken down into smaller steps with additional practice and repetition, helping children to build confidence and secure their understanding.
Children in Year 2 and above who are not yet reading fluently, or who did not meet the expected standard in the Phonics Screening Check, continue to receive daily phonics support. Using assessments from the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, we identify gaps in learning and provide focused teaching to help children catch up quickly and successfully.
