At Severnbanks Primary School we use Rocket Phonics  which is a systematic synthetic phonics programme published scheme, validated by the Department of Education.

There are six overlapping phases which the pupils work through, usually starting in the pre-school setting. In the Reception class pupils work within Phases 1-4. Our KS1 pupils are taught in Phase specific groups. Some intervention groups in Key Stage 2 also focus upon key parts of Rockets Phonics. As pupils learn at different rates it is not uncommon for pupils within the same class to be working on a different phonic phase and the teaching is targeted accordingly. Rocket Phonics enables pupils to see the relationship between reading and spelling, meaning they learn to blend and segment words successfully.

Parents are invited in for phonics/reading meetings where they undertake phonics-based activities and are taught the strategies to aid their child’s reading and writing. The pupils learning is also enhanced at KS2 through using Read, write, Ink resources to develop pupils spelling skills.

Y1 Phonics Screening The national phonics screening check was introduced in 2012 to all Y1 pupils.  It is a short, statutory assessment to confirm whether individual pupils have learnt phonic decoding to an appropriate standard. It aims to identify the pupils who need extra help so that they can be given support by school to improve their reading skills.  At Severnbanks Primary School we already identify pupils and provide early intervention support, however the assessment is a statutory requirement. The test comprises a list of 40 real and pseudo (nonsense) words, which a child will read one-to-one with the class teacher. Half the words cover phonic skills which are usually covered in Reception, and half the words are based on Year 1 phonics skills. Results are communicated to parents through the school report at the end of the academic year.  

EYFS/ KS1 Reading At Severnbanks Primary School the pupils have access to a wide range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry texts. Our reading scheme books are linked to our Rocket Phonics. The pupils have the opportunity to read in class daily and take home books from the specific phonic phase as well as a ‘free choice’ book from the library. The support which our parents give with phonics practice and reading at home is greatly valued.