Phonics
At Cippenham School we follow the ‘Bug Club’ Phonics Programme. This is a DfE approved programme, it provides our children with a consistent, sequenced, progressive and systematic programme for 'learning to read.'
Our Staff team has completed training on how to deliver this programme. Children from Year R take part in daily Phonics lessons and additionally children are taught the skills to read effectively, individually, in small groups and in whole classes. We assess children’s reading skills regularly and provide catch-up sessions for children who are requiring extra support.
Phonics is a way of teaching children how to read and write. It helps children hear, identify and use different sounds that distinguish one word from another in the English language. Written language can be compared to a code, so knowing the sounds of individual letters and how those letters sound when they’re combined will help children decode words as they read. Understanding phonics will also help children know which letters to use when they are writing words.
We ensure pupils develop the phonetic skills and knowledge required to become a confident and fluent reader. We acknowledge that children need to be taught the key skills in segmenting and blending to be equipped with the knowledge to be able to complete the phonics check at the end of year 1.
The children will have access to online books at home that are matched to our ‘Bug Club’ phonics programme. In school our children will have access to reading books that are matched to their reading ability.
We want our children to be excited about books and develop a passion for reading.
Your child will have access to books that they can bring home each week:
Two online reading books
These two books are ‘Bug club’ books linked to your child’s phonic/early reading level. We would like you to support your child to read this book. It will contain written sounds and tricky words that your child has already learnt in school. Your child will also be reading books from the same level in school. Together we can work to develop their decoding, pronunciation and comprehension. This book may appear easier for your child to read than the other books your child brings home. Children should read the book three times: once for accuracy, once for fluency and once for comprehension. Recent research shows that the best way to help children to learn to read is with sounds and words that they have already been taught.
A library book
This book is your child's choice, led by their interest. This book may seem too difficult for them and they may not be able to read this independently. This book is not matched to your child’s reading level. This book is intended to be shared with an adult or an older sibling. It is an opportunity to look at the pictures, for the book to be read to your child and to discuss what is being read. This book could be poetry, stories, fiction, plays or nonfiction.
We want our children to enjoy all types of books, so please support your child with this.
If you have any questions about learning to read the books your child has, please speak to your child’s teacher.
We are very committed to working together with you, you are your child’s first teachers.
