Phonics & Early Reading Information

At Halterworth, we believe that reading and writing skills form the foundations for much of the learning we do throughout school and into adult life.

From the start of Reception, children follow the Read Write Inc. phonics program, which teaches them to recognise sounds and to blend them together in order to read new words.

Read Write Inc. is taught every day in Reception and Year 1, with children learning to become fluent readers.  The aim is also to increase children's confidence and enjoyment in reading, inspiring them to continue to practise reading outside of our Read Write Inc. sessions.  Children will bring home a 'Book Bag Book' to practise sounds they have been learning in order to develop fluency.

Through using their 'Fred fingers' children are also taught to segment (break up) the words into sounds when they are trying to spell. Some tricky words (known as 'red words') like 'they' and 'were' cannot be broken up into individual sounds and so through Read Write Inc. children are gradually introduced to these words and given regular chances to practice reading them.

 In addition, children are given carefully matching ‘book bag’ books that provide them with opportunities to practice reading any new sounds in context.