Skip to content ↓
Wessex Gardens Primary & Nursery School

Wessex Gardens Primary & Nursery School

Phonics

Intent

At Wessex Gardens Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that every child becomes a confident and fluent reader. We use Bug Club Phonics, a systematic synthetic phonics programme, to teach early reading in a structured and engaging way. Our aim is to equip children with the skills they need to decode words, develop reading fluency, and foster a lifelong love of reading.

We believe that reading is the gateway to learning and that early success in reading builds children's confidence and supports their ability to access the broader curriculum. By following a rigorous phonics programme, we ensure that all children:

  • Learn to read easily and fluently with a secure understanding of phonics.
  • Develop strong decoding and blending skills to tackle unfamiliar words independently.
  • Build a rich vocabulary and comprehension skills to support their understanding of a wide range of texts.
  • Develop a love of reading and the confidence to read for both pleasure and information.
  • Transfer their phonics knowledge into writing, enabling them to spell and construct sentences accurately.

Implementation

At Wessex Gardens, phonics is taught systematically and with fidelity to the Bug Club Phonics programme. The following strategies ensure high-quality phonics teaching and learning:

  • Daily Phonics Lessons: Phonics is taught every day in Reception and Key Stage 1, following a structured sequence that builds progressively on children’s knowledge.
  • Consistent Approach: All teaching staff are trained in Bug Club Phonics, ensuring consistency in lesson delivery, vocabulary use, and teaching techniques.
  • Decodable Books: Pupils read books that are fully decodable and matched to their phonics knowledge. These books allow them to apply their phonics skills in a meaningful way, building confidence and fluency.
  • Repetition and Reinforcement: Pupils re-read books multiple times to develop fluency, speed, and expression.
  • Regular Assessment and Grouping: Children are assessed regularly, and phonics groups are adjusted to ensure all pupils are working at the appropriate level.
  • Targeted Support: Pupils making slower progress are identified early and receive daily, high-quality interventions from trained staff to close gaps in learning. The lowest 20% of pupils receive additional 1:1 or small-group support to ensure they keep up, not catch up.
  • Parental Engagement: We provide workshops, resources, and guidance to parents to help them support their child’s reading at home.
  • Developing a Love for Reading: Daily story time sessions expose children to a variety of rich and engaging texts. Teachers model expressive reading and share their love of books to inspire pupils.
  • Transition to Spelling and Comprehension: Once children complete the Bug Club Phonics programme, they move on to structured spelling instruction in line with the National Curriculum and focus on developing deeper comprehension skills.

Impact

Our structured phonics programme ensures that children develop into confident, fluent, and enthusiastic readers. The impact of our approach is evident in:

Strong Phonics Foundations:

  • Children acquire secure phonics knowledge, demonstrated in both their reading and writing.
  • Pupils can confidently decode unfamiliar words, allowing them to read fluently and with expression.

Achievement and Progress:

  • The majority of children meet age-related expectations in phonics by the end of EYFS and Year 1.
  • Success in the Phonics Screening Check at the end of Year 1 reflects the effectiveness of our programme.

Confidence and Enjoyment:

  • Children enjoy phonics lessons and reading activities, fostering a love of books from an early age.
  • They develop confidence in their reading ability, which supports their learning across all subjects.

Parental Understanding and Support:

  • Parents feel well-informed about phonics teaching and understand how to support their child's reading journey at home.

Well-Trained Staff and High-Quality Teaching:

  • All staff deliver high-quality, consistent phonics lessons, ensuring that every child receives the best possible early reading experience.

Through our commitment to high-quality phonics instruction at Wessex Gardens, we empower children to become fluent, confident readers who develop a lifelong love of reading and learning.