Reading
As a school, we implement and follow Monster Phonics (a DfE approved scheme for phonics).
This approach to the teaching of phonics offers a clearly defined sequence of learning whilst the simultaneous use of different senses provides multisensory activities. Monster Phonics adds colour and context to this curriculum area in order to move phonics from the abstract to the real, allowing children to deepen their understanding of how to break up words and understand the code from written to spoken and vice versa.
Through their lessons, the children will meet and become familiar with a total of 10 monsters:
- Angry Red A
- Green Froggy
- Yellow I
- Miss Oh No
- U-Hoo
- Cool Blue
- Brown Owl
- Silent Ghosts
- Black Cats
- Tricky Witch
Children in EYFS and KS1 have daily phonics lessons and their progress is assessed regularly. Our trained staff use this information to plan for and deliver additional intervention sessions so that misconceptions can be addressed and further practice can be offered where required. The progression maps for each year group can be found below. As a school, we believe it is vital that the daily phonics sessions meet the needs of all pupils so therefore these may be adapted due to the needs of the class and for individual children.
We have now implemented the Monster Phonics reading scheme, where the familiar monsters feature in their own stories. Children will bring these reading books (both fiction and non-fiction) home to practise and be regularly assessed in school so that they can progress through the levels, becoming confident and fluent readers.
Once children have completed our phonics programme, reading remains at the heart of our curriculum. Reading is taught in a variety of ways including whole class reading sessions and comprehension lessons as well as specific targeted intervention work.
All children, across the key stages, read regularly at school and are encouraged to continue this avid reading at home. Whilst children make their way through the colour banded reading levels, books are correctly matched to their current phase of phonological learning and reviewed by trained members of staff regularly. On the completion of the coloured levels, children progress to ‘free reader’ status which allows them to choose books carefully matched to their age-related standard, both appropriate in structure and content.
Below, you will find a list of links and documents that can support you in helping your child progress.