Key Stage 1. 

At Key Stage 1, we use a phonics scheme to support the teaching of reading. The school use Little Wandle to support those children who have just started school and are learning the initial sounds for the first time, as well as those who are developing their reading and writing skills.  

We would recommend the use of these websites to support your child's learning: 

Reading at Key Stage 1

• We teach children to read through reading practice sessions three times a week. These:
  • are taught by a fully trained adult to small groups of approximately six children
  • use books matched to the children’s secure phonic knowledge using the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised assessments and book matching grids on pages 11–20 of ‘Application of phonics to reading’.
  • are monitored by the class teacher, who rotates and works with each group on a regular basis.
• Each reading practice session has a clear focus, so that the demands of the session do not overload the children’s working memory. The reading practice sessions have been designed to focus on three key reading skills:
  • decoding
  • prosody: teaching children to read with understanding and expression
  • comprehension: teaching children to understand the text.

• In Reception these sessions start in Week 4. Children who are not yet decoding have daily additional blending practice in small groups, so that they quickly learn to blend and can begin to read books.
• In Years 2 and 3, we continue to teach reading in this way for any children who still need to practise reading with decodable books.

We are always looking for volunteers to come in and read to our children and listen to readers, so please do contact the school office for more information.