Reading and Phonics

“A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.” - Neil Gaiman

“A book is a gift you can open again and again.” - Garrison Keillor

“Reading is like breathing in, and writing is like breathing out.” - Pam Allyn

“There are many little ways to enlarge a child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” - Jacqueline Kennedy

“We read to know we are not alone.” - C.S. Lewis

Intent

At Thomas A' Becket Infant School, we believe that English is the foundation of all learning and key to children's future success. Our aim is to provide a rich, language-filled curriculum that develops confident communicators, enthusiastic readers and capable writers from Reception through to the end of Key Stage 1.

We are committed to ensuring that every child becomes a confident, fluent reader with a love of books and literature. Through high-quality texts, stories, poetry and non-fiction, children develop the knowledge, vocabulary and comprehension skills needed to read with accuracy, understanding and enjoyment.

Through the consistent and systematic teaching of phonics, children rapidly acquire the skills needed to decode unfamiliar words, build fluency and become independent readers who read for both pleasure and purpose.

Our English curriculum is inclusive, aspirational and engaging. We have high expectations for every child and provide appropriate support and challenge to ensure all learners make strong progress and achieve their full potential.

Implementation

Phonics and Early Reading - At Thomas A' Becket Infant School, children are taught phonics daily from Reception to Year 2 through a structured systematic synthetic phonics programme. Lessons help children link sounds to letters, develop decoding skills and become confident readers and writers. Learning is carefully sequenced, with regular assessment and targeted support ensuring all children make progress. Children read phonically decodable books matched to their ability, helping them build accuracy, fluency and confidence.

Reading Practice Sessions – From Reception, children take part in regular small-group or one-to-one reading sessions, usually twice a week, using fully decodable books matched to their phonics knowledge. Sessions focus on decoding, fluency and comprehension through repeated reading, discussion and questioning. Children read books from the Collins Big Cat Phonics for Little Wandle scheme, with home reading books closely matched to their stage of development.

Developing Reading Comprehension - Children develop vocabulary, retrieval, inference and prediction skills through shared, guided and whole-class reading. Access to class reading books and the school library encourages independent reading and supports ongoing progress in comprehension, fluency and accuracy.

Developing a Love of Reading - We promote a love of reading by exposing children to a wide range of high-quality fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Through Book Talk and shared reading experiences, children develop vocabulary, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of texts, helping to foster a lifelong enjoyment of reading.

Home Reading - We value the partnership between school and home in developing successful readers. From Reception, children take books home regularly, and parents are supported through workshops, online resources and home-learning activities to help build their child's reading skills, confidence and enjoyment. Reading at home with parents and carers is celebrated through our reading reward systems - Rocket readers (Reception), Minions (Year 1) and Dive into Reading (Year 2).

Impact

At Thomas A' Becket Infant School, children develop the phonics knowledge and reading skills needed to become confident, fluent and independent readers. Through high-quality teaching, regular assessment and targeted support, children make strong progress in early reading and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Children read with increasing accuracy, fluency and understanding, applying their phonics knowledge effectively to decode unfamiliar words. They demonstrate secure comprehension skills, including vocabulary development, retrieval, inference and prediction, enabling them to engage thoughtfully with a wide range of texts.

As a result of regular exposure to high-quality literature, children develop a genuine enjoyment of reading and can talk confidently about books, authors and their reading preferences. They are motivated to read for both pleasure and purpose, drawing upon an increasingly rich vocabulary to support their communication and learning across the curriculum.

By the end of Key Stage 1, children are equipped with the knowledge, skills and enthusiasm needed to continue their reading journey as successful, lifelong readers.