Early Reading and Phonics
Intent:
The whole school is united in its determination that every pupil will learn to read. The systematic phonics programme sets out clear, term-by-term expectations for pupils’ progress, ensuring consistency and precision in teaching. This rigid and robust approach through Read Write Inc. (RWI) guarantees that all pupils access reading at the right level and at the right time, enabling every child to build the skills and confidence needed to become a fluent, enthusiastic reader.
Implementation:
What is our curriculum?
We teach phonics systematically using the Read Write Inc Programme. Our expectations for children at the end of each year are outlined in the table below:
| Year | Expectations |
|---|---|
| Nursery |
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| Reception |
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| Year 1 |
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| Year 2 |
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Phonics at Goldsmith Primary Academy
In Nursery, children follow Phase One of Letters and Sounds to develop their speaking and listening skills, laying the foundations for the introduction of a systematic synthetic phonics programme. The emphasis during this phase is on helping children become attuned to the sounds around them and preparing them to develop oral blending and segmenting skills.
During the final term of Nursery, children begin to say the sounds of letters with the support of mnemonics, enabling them to start blending sounds into words. The Read Write Inc. (RWI) programme introduces pure sounds, allowing children to blend more accurately and confidently.
Children are taught the sounds in three sets:
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Set 1 Sounds are introduced in a specific order, supported by rhymes to help children form letters correctly and instantly recognise sounds for blending.
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Set 2 Sounds focus on long vowels and are introduced in Reception and consolidated at the beginning of Year 1.
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Set 3 Sounds are taught once children are secure with Sets 1 and 2, typically during Year 1.
In Years 3 and 4, children who did not pass the Year 2 Phonics Screening Check receive daily 30-minute phonics sessions. These are delivered in progress groups, determined through half-termly phonics assessments, ensuring each child receives targeted support at the right level to close gaps and build fluency.
Impact:
How is impact measured?
In Reception, children complete an initial baseline assessment, followed by half-termly assessments that align with those used in Years 1 and 2. Pupils are placed in progress groups according to their current phonic knowledge and receive daily phonics teaching precisely matched to the sounds they are secure in.
At the end of Year 1 (and again in Year 2 for those who did not pass the check initially), children complete the Phonics Screening Check to ensure sufficient progress in developing phonic skills. During this assessment, children are asked to decode 40 words—a mixture of real words and pseudo-words—to demonstrate their ability to apply their phonics knowledge.
How do we know children have made progress?
Children progress through the Read Write Inc. programme by moving from group activities to ditties, and then through a series of colour-coded storybooks in the following order: Green, Purple, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Blue, and Grey. This progression clearly demonstrates children’s growing confidence and fluency in reading.
How do we challenge and support lack of progress?
Half-termly assessments include a fluency check, enabling staff to identify pupils ready for transition to the Accelerated Reader system as they become fluent. These assessments also identify the lowest 20% of readers, along with any other children who may require additional support. Targeted 1:1 ‘keep-up’ interventions are then delivered to ensure every child receives the support needed to make rapid progress.
How are we inclusive?
Read Write Inc. Phonics is an inclusive literacy programme designed for all children learning to read, particularly those working at the developing stage of their age-related expectations (ARE) or below. It provides systematic teaching of synthetic phonics, ensuring every child has the tools to decode and spell with confidence.
Children learn the 44 common sounds of the English language, initially supported by mnemonics to aid recall and articulation. They are taught to blend sounds to read and spell words, using a carefully sequenced approach that builds strong phonological awareness.
The programme introduces pure sounds in a specific order before teaching children that the number of graphemes (letters or letter groups) in a word always corresponds to the number of phonemes (sounds). This explicit understanding significantly strengthens spelling accuracy. Letter names are introduced once children reach Set 3 Sounds, ensuring they have a secure grasp of phoneme–grapheme correspondence first.