Phonics, Early Reading & Spelling

Little Wandle Phonics

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds is our chosen Phonics programme.  Mrs Steele is our Phonics and Early Reading Leader. She works closely with Mrs Kerr, our Key Stage 2 Reading Leader to ensure children make strong progress and most importantly, develop a love for reading, during their time with us at St. Philip Neri with St. Bede.

To find out more about how phonics is taught using Little Wandle and to access phonics resources to use at home, please click here.

Little Wandle Progression & Overview

eBook Login Information

Why Reading To Your Child Really Matters

Please see information below shared by our Early Reading & Phonics Lead, Mrs Steele with further information about how we teach early reading and phonics in our school. The slides share what phonics is; what a typical phonics lesson looks like; the aim and purpose of guided reading practise sessions and provided ideas to support your child’s reading at home.

Phonics And Early Reading Information Nursery

Phonics And Early Reading Information Reception

Phonics And Early Reading Information Year One

The Reading Together Leaflet can be viewed here. 

Ready, Steady, Spell

Once pupils exit our phonics programme, typically during the first term of Year 2, spelling is taught using a systematic, evidence-based scheme called Ready Steady Spell. This scheme is designed to build confident, accurate spellers from Year 2 to Year 6 offering full National Curriculum coverage through a cyclical model that reinforces and embeds learning over time.

Ready, Steady, Spell provides our children with a consistent framework for the teaching of spelling with engaging resources and memorable Rule Rhymes used from Year 2 to Year 6. The programme supports all learners, including EAL learners and SEND children.

Within Ready Steady Spell, there are 7 strategies to support the recall of taught spellings. These strategies are taught explicitly in school and should be used to support the learning of spellings at home. The strategies are: syll-a-beat, phonic sound, rule rhyme, picture it, word build, wrong say right spell, and tricky bit. Please see the Home Support Booklet below for details of each strategy and how you can help at home.

Ready, Steady, Spell Home Booklet