Intent 

At St Cuthbert Mayne, we believe that reading is one of the most important skills we teach. Our aim is for every child to become a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader. 

We use Read Write Inc. Phonics (RWI) to give children the best possible start to their reading journey. Through high-quality, systematic phonics teaching, children learn how sounds are represented by letters and groups of letters and how these can be blended together to read words. 

We are determined that every child will learn to read, regardless of their background, needs or starting point. We want children to develop the skills needed to decode words accurately and fluently so that they can increasingly focus on comprehension, vocabulary and enjoyment. 

Alongside the teaching of phonics, we aim to develop a genuine love of reading. Children are exposed to a wide range of stories, rhymes, poems and high-quality texts both at school and at home. Through shared reading and story time, children develop their imagination, vocabulary and understanding of the world around them. 

Implementation 

Read Write Inc. is a systematic synthetic phonics programme developed by Ruth Miskin. Children begin learning phonics in Reception and continue through Key Stage 1. Children in Key Stage 2 continue to receive phonics teaching and support where this is needed. 

Children are taught phonics every day in small groups according to their current stage of reading development. Groups are flexible and are reviewed regularly through assessment so that teaching is closely matched to what each child needs to learn next. 

Through Read Write Inc., children learn to: 

• recognise and say the sounds used in spoken English; 

• recognise the letters or groups of letters that represent each sound; 

• blend sounds together to read words; 

• read common words which cannot always be sounded out; 

• read accurately, fluently and with expression; 

• develop their understanding of what they read; 

• segment words into sounds to support spelling; 

• form letters correctly and develop their writing skills. 

Learning the sounds 

Children are taught the sounds in three progressive sets: Set 1, Set 2 and Set 3. 

In Reception, children begin by learning the most common sounds and the letters that represent them. As they progress, they learn more complex sounds and alternative ways of representing them. 

Children are taught to use pure sounds, for example saying ‘m’ rather than ‘muh’, as this makes it easier for them to blend sounds together successfully. 

Fred Talk 

In Read Write Inc., children meet Fred the Frog, who can only speak in sounds. Children learn to use Fred Talk to sound out words before blending the sounds together. 

For example: 

c-a-t → cat 

As children become more confident, they move from sounding words aloud to using Fred in your head, allowing them to recognise and read words more quickly and fluently. 

Children are encouraged to use the routine: 

“Special Friends, Fred Talk, read the word.” 

Reading books 

Once children are able to blend sounds confidently, they begin reading Read Write Inc. books. These books are carefully matched to the sounds and words children already know. 

Children read books atleast three times so that they develop: 

• accuracy – decoding the words correctly; 

• fluency – reading smoothly and at an appropriate pace; 

• expression – using their voice appropriately; 

• comprehension – understanding and discussing what they have read. 

Children also learn green words, which can be decoded using their phonics knowledge, and red words, which contain parts that cannot always be sounded out using the usual phonics rules. 

Developing spelling and writing 

Read Write Inc. also supports children's spelling and writing. 

Children use Fred Fingers to segment words into individual sounds before spelling them. This helps children to identify each sound they can hear and match it to the correct letter or group of letters. 

Children also take part in activities such as Hold a Sentence, where they rehearse a sentence orally before writing it independently and checking their work. 

Letter formation is taught alongside phonics using Read Write Inc. handwriting phrases to help children remember how letters should be formed correctly. 

Assessment and additional support 

Children are assessed regularly so that we can identify their progress, ensure they are taught in the most appropriate group and quickly identify any gaps in learning. 

Children who require additional support receive extra practice alongside their daily phonics lesson. This may include targeted 1:1 Read Write Inc. Fast Track Tutoring and additional reading practice. 

Our aim is to identify difficulties quickly and provide the right support so that children can continue to make progress. 

Reading at home 

Reading at home plays an important part in children's progress. 

Children take home books which are closely matched to their current phonics knowledge. Since these books contain sounds and words that children have already been taught, they should be able to read them with increasing independence and fluency. 

Children also choose a book for pleasure to share at home. This may be above their current independent reading level and is intended to encourage enjoyment, discussion and a love of books. 

We encourage parents and carers to listen to their child read regularly, reread familiar books to develop fluency and continue to read stories aloud together. 

Year 1 Phonics Screening Check 

Children in Year 1 complete the statutory Phonics Screening Check (PSC) during the summer term. 

The check assesses how well children can apply their phonics knowledge to decode words. Children read a mixture of real words and unfamiliar ‘pseudo-words’ or ‘alien words’. 

Children who require further support continue to receive targeted phonics teaching and have another opportunity to complete the check in Year 2. 

Impact 

Through our consistent approach to phonics and early reading, children develop the knowledge and confidence they need to become successful readers. 

Children will: 

• develop secure knowledge of taught sounds and spelling patterns; 

• blend sounds confidently to read unfamiliar words; 

• use their phonics knowledge to support spelling and writing; 

• read with increasing accuracy, fluency and expression; 

• develop strong comprehension skills; 

• confidently discuss the books they read; 

• develop independence and confidence as readers; 

• develop a genuine love of books and reading. 

Regular assessment enables us to monitor progress closely and ensure that children who need additional support receive it quickly. 

Our ultimate aim is for every child to become a fluent, confident reader who can move successfully from learning to read to reading to learn and reading for pleasure.