Early Reading and Phonics 

At Church Langton, we place the highest importance on providing all children with a structured approach to learning to read from the moment they start at our school. In EYFS, Year One and Year Two, we use a phonics programme called Sounds-Write. It is a highly regarded linguistics programme that begins with sounds in the language and moves from sounds to the written word. Children, in their daily phonics sessions, are taught conceptual knowledge and skills that enable them to say the sounds and read the words. The programme begins by teaching an ‘Initial Code’. 

During this phase, the children learn that: 

• Sounds can be represented by spellings with one letter.
• Some spellings are written with a double consonant.
• Some spellings are written with two different letters.

Once the children are confident about applying this understanding to their reading and spelling, they move onto the ‘Extended Code’ towards the end of EYFS. During this phase, the children learn: 

• A spelling can represent more than one sound. 
• The most common sounds are represented by the target spelling. 
• How to manipulate alternative sounds in and out of words.

This phase lasts throughout Year One and the skills they learn will continue to be applied to reading and spelling well beyond this time. Throughout the programme, close links are made between reading and spelling. 

Please follow this link to download the parent guide for Sounds-Write. 

• Sounds-Write leaflet for parents
• Teaching phonics using sounds at Church Langton

Reading 

Reading at School

We pride ourselves on our strong reading culture at our school. Reading is at the very heart of our curriculum. Our English lessons are centred around a range of high-quality children’s books. We link spoken language, reading and writing in order that children can become more confident in all areas of the curriculum. 

Reading is taught throughout the school and develops from phonological awareness and understanding in Reception through to guided reading and reading comprehension in Year 6. Below you can find a map of the reading journey a child will undertake through our school. Throughout this journey, the children are taught to use reading keys (please see below). These keys develop and are added to in Key Stage 2, but the key terminology and language are kept the same. This is crucial to children’s understanding of what skills are needed in order to be successful readers and decoders of texts. 

Children have daily opportunities to read. At times, they read individually, in pairs, in small groups or as a whole class. The reading curriculum focusses on word reading (decoding words) and understanding of texts (comprehension). We teach these skills alongside each other. Opportunities are planned within our lessons for children to discuss what they are reading, share opinions and explore different responses to texts. 

We have a lovely library where pupils can select their own books. Each classroom also has a reading area and its own stock of books for children to read. 

Reading at Home 

The regularity of reading at home has a significant impact on the progress and confidence a child can develop in their reading. We ask pupils to read each day, and our home school planner is used to record and share their progress. Our reading reward scheme promotes the importance of regular reading with achievements shared each week in celebration of worship. 

• Keys to Comprehension KS2 poster
• Keys to Comprehension KS1 poster

At the bottom of this page, you'll find some helpful downloads outlining 100 recommended reads for each Key Stage.

Spelling 

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1

In this phase of school, our spelling focus is placed primarily on phonics and is embedded in conjunction with a handwriting programme. Our phonics programme is Sounds-Write, which is carried out on a daily basis with children.  

Reception have reading books linked to their phonics learning. Within these books there are phonics sounds which children can work on at home and practice. Year One are also given phonics sounds to work on. Lists of these words can be requested from your class teacher. Year Two will also be given out phonics sounds depending on their specific needs. 

KS2

At our school, we focus on common spelling rules and the different spelling patterns for sounds that the children will encounter. This builds upon their previous phonics learning and allows them to have a knowledge of wider patterns as well as words that are an exception to the common rules. The children work on a different pattern every week with each year group having the same pattern so that words and lists can be re-visited, built upon and added to as the children progress in proficiency. Children explore these patterns through investigative tasks which allow them to develop a curiosity about spelling and provides them opportunities to make links and apply these spelling patterns in their wider work. 

Writing 

Throughout the children’s journey at our school, they will learn to write in a variety of ways and will then be asked to apply their knowledge across all areas of the curriculum. Children are taught to think about the purpose of their writing and what audience they are writing for. In key stage 1, children start by learning how to entertain and inform with their writing before being introduced to persuasive purposes in year 3. By year 5 and 6 they will also have the ability to write texts which discuss concepts with an audience. All these purposes allow the children to explore the different genres of writing which achieve these. The writing curriculum at our school allows children to engage with new text types whilst also ensuring they revisit and build upon prior learning in order to reach improved levels of sophistication in all elements of composition. Grammar is interwoven into the teaching of writing and, when appropriate, certain features will be highlighted as important to achieve an intended outcome with an audience. Grammar may also be taught discreetly before the children are shown how to incorporate their new skill within their wider work. Writing opportunities are often also linked to class texts so that children have a fluency with the concept they are writing about and an enthusiasm to incorporate their knowledge of a story or structure.