At SS Mary and John, we use the Read Write Inc (RWI) programme to teach phonics. RWI is a method of learning based upon letters, sounds and phonics, and we use it to aid children in their reading and writing. Read Write Inc. Phonics teaches children to read accurately and fluently with good comprehension skills. They learn to form each letter correctly, spell phonetically and recognise sounds within words. 

We start teaching phonics in reception and this leads up to the phonics screening which all children nationally take at the end of year one.

We have attached a copy of all the sounds which children learn and the order in which these are taught. Please refer to this when supporting your child with their phonics. 

For more information about how to support your child with their phonic knowledge, please refer to the website link below. 

Throughout the year, we will be running parental workshops around phonics and helping parents and carers to support their children at home.

Additionally, we send home a phonics video for EYFS, Key Stage One and Key Stage Two weekly so please remember to scan the QR code in the newsletter each week. 

Reading at SSMJ

At SS Mary and John, reading is a key focus in all that we do. Our children enjoy sharing a variety of texts and reading for pleasure. Our English curriculum is centred around a range of high-quality texts which engage children and encourage them to write creatively. Children have the opportunity to explore a range of texts and are exposed to ambitious vocabulary throughout their reading.

Children have regular guided reading sessions where they work on improving their fluency and accuracy within reading as well as using VIPERS to improve their comprehension skills. 

Children at SSMJ have positive attitudes to reading and we run a range of exciting reading activities throughout the year: half-termly book swaps ensure that children have access to new books regularly; book clubs throughout the school help to promote a love of reading; exciting reading competitions encourage children to read regularly and home story time bags are used to promote reading at home.

Please ensure that your child is reading at home often and is bringing their book bag and reading record into school weekly so that they are able to regularly change their books.

Book Swap

Each half term, children are invited to bring in a book/books which they no longer want and have the opportunity to swap this for a new and exciting book. We run book swaps on both Key Stage One and Key Stage Two and the children enjoy having the chance to look at lots of new books and take home a book to share with their families. 

Home story time bags

Each week, one child per class is selected to bring home their classes ‘Bedtime story bag’. This is something new we have been running in order to encourage children to enjoy reading and sharing a story with their families.

Each child selects a book which they would like to read with their families. We ask each family to please spend some time over the weekend enjoying the story together and include a little treat for when you read. We also send home the class reading buddy to share a story with.