Hillside Primary School

Phonics

At Hillside Primary Academy we use Little Wandle as our Systematic Synthetic Phonics programme.  This programme is followed with rigor by all teachers and teaching assistants. Discrete whole-class phonics lessons are taught to all children, daily in nursery, reception and year’s 1 and 2 and to any other identified children.  To ensure that learning is embedded, flashcards and reading opportunities continue throughout the day and additional phonics teaching is given to identified children. Phonics remains the main strategy that we use to approach/decode unfamiliar words and spelling, as well as building a sight vocabulary.

Find our full Reception and Year 1 teaching programme overview here to see what your child will learn and when.

Books coming home

Supporting your child with reading

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home.

There are two types of reading book that your child may bring home:

A reading practice book. This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently.

A sharing book.  Your child will not be able to read this on their own. This book is for you both to read and enjoy together.

Reading practice book

This book has been carefully matched to your child’s current reading level. If your child is reading it with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading.

Listen to them read the book. Remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success! If they can’t read a word, read it to them. After they have finished, talk about the book together.

Sharing book

In order to encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure. The sharing book is a book they have chosen for you to enjoy together.

Please remember that you shouldn’t expect your child to read this alone. Read it to or with them. Discuss the pictures, enjoy the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun!

Support for phonics.

Reception Autumn 1 sounds

Download a guide to how children are taught to say their sounds in Reception Autumn 1