Phonics and Reading at SMFR

The intention of the Phonics/Reading curriculum at SMFR is to ensure the children have the best start possible in reading and writing. Phonics is the beginning of children’s body of knowledge, skills and understanding that are an essential part of learning to read and write.

In order to read and understand texts, children must learn to recognise and decode the words on the page. 

Good quality phonic teaching secures the skills of word recognition and decoding which allow children to read fluently. This will result in children being able to read for pleasure, then move onto children developing comprehension skills. These phonic skills are taught systematically through the Letters and Sounds scheme.

Subject Aims

The Phonics curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Develop speaking and listening skills
• Develop language skills before learning letter sounds.
• Develop secure knowledge of pure sounds for blending.
• Develop clear links between reading and spelling.
• Move confidently through the 5 stage program.
• Develop a knowledge of the top 100 High frequency words that are built into the programme.
• Develop decoding skills as a main reading strategy (not looking at pictures or identifying initial sound then guessing etc.).

The English Curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils in KS1 and KS2:

• Develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment.
• Read easily, fluently and with good understanding
• Develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information
• Acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• Appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage
• Use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas
• Are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Writing at SMFR

The intention of the English curriculum at SMFR is to deliver a high-quality education in writing that will teach pupils to write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. We know that writing underpins all curriculum areas and is an essential skill for children.  We encourage a love of writing and provide as many opportunities for children to write as possible.  Through engaging in high-quality activities based around a high quality text, pupils have a chance to develop their writing in a range of genres as well as develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.  Pupils will also have acquired a wide range of vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language. Through the core texts selected and studied, the pupils at SMFR will learn to appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage and by the end of their primary school journey pupils should be able to write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.  By the time children leave SMFR, it is our intent for children to be confident, ambitious and create writers.

Subject Aims

The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Show high levels of achievement and exhibit very positive attitudes towards writing.

• Use and understand language as speakers, readers and writers.

• Are competent, confident and independent in the use of language in their writing.

• Write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences

• Apply their grammatical knowledge in their writing

• Apply their phonetical and spelling knowledge in their writing

• Apply high standards of writing in all areas of the curriculum.

• Acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language

• Use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas

• Are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate

• Plan, revise and evaluate their writing.

• Write fluently, legibly and, eventually, with speedy handwriting.