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Holgate Primary and Nursery

Holgate Primary and Nursery

Phonics

At Holgate, we follow the Monster Phonics scheme to deliver our phonics lessons.

The scheme uses brightly coloured and engaging monsters to support the children with recognising different sounds. Each monster has a special story to introduce it which is memorable and engaging to the children.

Each phonics session follows a five-part format:

© Monster Phonics

In Key Stage 1, children also have one day each week where they focus on writing common exception and high frequency words to improve their accuracy in spelling.

We also use a working wall for phonics from F2 – Year 3 which is regularly updated. This displays the sounds the children know well, previously taught sounds and common exception or high frequency words and examples of these.  This allows children to use their new and current learning in their own independent practice and ensures that the children learn in an immersive environment.

We use a detailed Monster Phonics assessment to regularly assess and track each child’s progress in their phonics. This tracks a child’s ability to recognise each sound they have been taught but also whether they are able to read and recognise this sound in different words. Children are also periodically assessed on their ability to read the common exception and high frequency words they have been taught throughout the year.

Monster Phonics also provides a detailed intervention scheme that is used to support children who have not met the learning objective within their phonics lesson. This ensures extra support is put in place for children that need this.

During the Summer term of Year 1, children will complete a Phonics Screening Check. Teachers in Year 1 support children with the check and ensure lots of support and practice is provided for the children prior to this. Children will also be sent home with different resources and practise packs for them to engage with their phonics learning at home.

In Year 2, children are given targeted phonics intervention if there are gaps in their phonics knowledge or if they did not pass the Phonics Screening Check in Year 1. These children will then re-sit the Screening Check during Year 2.

Any children that do not pass the Screening Check in Year 2 will be given interventions to support their word reading skills. Dependent on their individual needs, this can be additional phonics support or alternatively, it can be to move them towards sight reading and a whole word approach. We continue to track these pupils either on the phonics tracker or on an individual basis as required. 

Children are also given a Monster Phonics decodable reading book to take home with them to practise their reading. This is matched to their reading ability and is regularly reviewed and changed by the child’s class teacher.

Below you will find our Phonics Booklet which is a guide for parents and carers, as well as an overview of progression in phonics across each year group.