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Reading and Phonics
At Arnot St Mary, we want every child to become a confident reader who enjoys books and chooses to read. Reading opens doors to learning, develops imagination and helps children understand themselves and the world around them.
Our approach brings together systematic phonics, fluent reading, vocabulary development and comprehension. Alongside carefully planned teaching, children experience the pleasure of listening to stories, exploring poetry and talking about books. We work closely with families so that reading at school and at home supports every child’s progress.
We teach early reading through Read Write Inc. Phonics (RWI), our systematic synthetic phonics programme. Children learn the sounds represented by letters and groups of letters, then blend these sounds together to read words.
Phonics teaching begins in Reception and continues through Year 1 and into Year 2 for children who need it. Older pupils also receive phonics teaching where assessment shows that this remains the right support for them.
Our approach includes:
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Daily, structured teaching: children revisit familiar sounds, learn new ones and apply their knowledge through reading and writing.
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Groups matched to current learning: children are assessed at least half-termly, and more frequently where needed, so that teaching provides the right level of challenge.
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Books matched to taught sounds: children read decodable books containing the sounds they have learned, helping them experience success and build confidence.
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Regular rereading: returning to familiar books helps children develop accuracy, fluency and understanding.
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Additional practice: children who need extra support receive targeted teaching, including one-to-one tutoring.
Children use Fred Talk to help them blend: saying the sounds in a word before putting them together to read the whole word. As their reading develops, they learn to recognise words increasingly quickly and automatically.
Developing vocabulary and understanding
Learning to read also means understanding language and making sense of what we read.
In Year 1, Talk Through Stories provides regular opportunities to explore carefully chosen stories in depth. Children listen, discuss characters and events, and learn useful new vocabulary. Revisiting stories and using new words in different situations helps children develop their understanding, even before they can read these texts independently.
Storytelling, conversation and discussion continue throughout school. Children are encouraged to explain their ideas, ask questions and listen thoughtfully to others.
Moving beyond phonics: Steps to Read
As children complete Read Write Inc. in Year 2, they move into Steps to Read, our approach to whole-class reading. This continues throughout Years 3–6, with four planned reading sessions each week.
Children explore a carefully selected range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Teachers model how readers make sense of texts, before supporting children to practise and apply these skills with increasing independence.
Teaching develops children’s ability to:
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Understand vocabulary in context.
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Find and retrieve information.
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Make inferences and explain their thinking using evidence.
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Predict, sequence and summarise.
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Explore authors’ language choices and their effects.
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Compare texts, characters, themes and viewpoints.
Discussion is an important part of these lessons. Children rehearse their ideas aloud, build on one another’s contributions and develop confidence in explaining their understanding through spoken and written responses.
Building reading fluency
Fluent reading helps children concentrate on meaning. We explicitly teach children to read accurately, at an appropriate pace and with expression.
Strategies include teacher modelling, repeated reading, echo reading, where children repeat a passage after an adult, and choral reading, where a group reads together. Children practise noticing punctuation, grouping words into meaningful phrases and using their voices to reflect the meaning of a text.
Helping every child succeed
We use regular assessment, classroom discussion and individual reading to identify children’s strengths and next steps.
Staff listen to children read individually each week, with daily practice prioritised for those who need the most support. Additional teaching may focus on phonics, fluency, vocabulary or comprehension, according to the child’s needs.
Support is adapted for children with SEND and other barriers to reading. Our aim is for every child to develop the skills and confidence to participate in reading lessons and enjoy a rich range of books.
Reading for pleasure
We make time for children to enjoy being read to every day. Our reading spine introduces children to a wide range of authors, stories, information books and poetry, alongside opportunities to explore personal interests and discover new favourites.
Class reading areas, our library and reading hub support children to browse, choose and recommend books. We value children’s choices and encourage them to see themselves as readers.
Reading at home
Short, regular reading sessions at home make an important contribution to children’s confidence and progress. We ask families to read together regularly and record reading in their child’s reading record.
Children learning through Read Write Inc. take home a familiar reading book matched to the sounds they have learned. Rereading this book allows them to practise successfully and celebrate their developing skills. Book Bag Books and books to enjoy with an adult are also available. School-provided RWI QR codes offer further opportunities to practise at home.
Children who have completed Read Write Inc. use book-banded books to support their developing independence, moving towards choosing books from classroom collections and the reading hub as their reading becomes secure.
A book for independent practice and a book to share with an adult serve different purposes. Children can enjoy listening to stories and information books that they are not yet able to read themselves.
How families can help
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Find a quiet, comfortable time to read together.
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Encourage your child to use the sounds they know to work out unfamiliar words.
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Reread familiar books to develop confidence and fluency.
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Talk about interesting words, characters and events.
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Keep reading aloud to your child as they become more independent.
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Celebrate effort and progress, and speak to the class teacher if reading is becoming difficult or frustrating.
Read Write Inc. videos for parents and carers
These short films explain the approach children use in school and show how you can support them at home.
| Video | How it can help |
|---|---|
| How Read Write Inc. Phonics works | A helpful introduction to the programme. |
| Helping your child learn the phonics sounds | Demonstrates the sounds used in Read Write Inc. |
| Sound blending using phonics flashcards | Shows how children combine sounds to read words. |
| How to listen to your child read a Read Write Inc. Storybook | Practical guidance for reading together at home. |
You can also explore the full parent and carer video playlist or visit the Ruth Miskin parent information page.
Please use the practice materials recommended by your child’s teacher so that home reading builds on what they are learning in school.
Useful Links
Follow link for free e-books to read at home from Oxford Owl at Oxford University
Oxford Owl Find a Book Library Page
Read Liverpool is a fantastic, FREE website which allows you access thousands of e-books at the touch of a button. All you need is a library card and internet access!
Love Reading for Kids is a website which gives you age and interest-specific book recommendations. You can even download sample extracts!
A great website to help you find a book recommendation. You can also find stories, games,
tips and advice about reading.
Audio stories from the BBC. Lots to listen to and new stories added to each week.
Spellow Library opening hours.
