Phonics in Reception
The Read Write Inc. Phonics Programme
We have written this for parents. It explains how we teach reading using the Read Write Inc. programme.
Learning to read is the most important thing your child will learn at our school. Everything else depends on it, so we put as much energy as we possibly can into making sure that every single child learns to read as quickly as possible.
We want your child to love reading – and to want to read for themselves. This is why we put our efforts into making sure they develop a love of books as well as simply learning to read.
How Will My Child Be Taught To Read?
At Batley Parish, we want every child to become a confident and enthusiastic reader. In Reception, children are taught to read through Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics, a systematic approach to teaching early reading.
Children begin by learning the sounds that letters represent and how to say these sounds clearly. They are taught to blend sounds together to read words and to segment words into sounds to support spelling and writing.
As children become more confident, they read carefully matched RWI books which contain the sounds and words they have already been taught. This allows children to practise their learning, develop fluency and experience success as readers.
Alongside phonics, children enjoy daily stories, rhymes, poems and high-quality texts. We want children not only to learn how to read, but to develop a genuine love of reading.
How Do We Make Sure Every Child Keeps Up?
Children’s progress in phonics is assessed regularly so that teaching is closely matched to what they know and what they need to learn next.
Children are grouped according to their current stage of reading development, rather than age or ability. These groups are flexible and change as children progress.
If a child needs additional practice, we identify this quickly and provide targeted one-to-one or small-group support. Our aim is for every child to keep up, not catch up.
All staff delivering RWI receive training and follow the same consistent routines and approaches.
How Will I Know How Well My Child Is Doing?
We value working closely with parents and carers. Throughout Reception, we will keep you informed about your child’s progress in reading and phonics.
Your child’s teacher and the RWI Phonics Lead continually assesses what they can do during phonics sessions and through their reading. This helps us identify their next steps and any additional support they may need.
We also discuss your child’s progress at parents’ evenings and will speak with you at other times if there is anything we would like to celebrate, practise or support together.
How Can I Support Phonics and Reading at Home?
Your support at home makes a real difference.Children will bring home reading materials that are carefully matched to the sounds they have been taught in school. Re-reading familiar books is important because it helps children develop accuracy, fluency and confidence.
We also encourage families to share books for pleasure. These may be books that your child cannot yet read independently — enjoy them together, talk about the pictures and characters, discuss new words and encourage your child to predict what might happen next.
We hold a Reception phonics workshop for parents and carers to demonstrate how we teach reading and how you can use the same approaches at home.