Each child in FS2 and KS1 receives a daily differentiated phonics and spelling programme for at least 20 minutes each day. We use No Nonsense Phonics which is based on the DfE Letters and Sounds Programme (2007). The scheme is grouped into phases and pupils progress from Phase 1 to Phase 6. Sessions often follow the revisit/review, teach, practise and apply model and they are often planned to include opportunities for development of speaking and listening, reading and writing. The children are also given the opportunity to practise and apply the reading and spelling rules that they have been taught within all subject areas using a cross curricular approach.
Each June, all children in Year 1 undertake a National Phonics Screening Check. This check consists of 40 words (20 real words and 20 pseudo words) which all children will be asked to read. The focus of this check is to see if pupils can decode a range of words using phonic strategies.
Our writing curriculum aims to support our children into becoming confident writers capable of expressing their thoughts and feelings through writing in a range of genres. Through a combination of modelled writing, composition lessons and focused grammar and punctuation work we aim to give our children the ability to apply all the skills outlined in the national curriculum to the work that they produce. At St Augustine’s, writing links closely with the development of pupils speaking and listening and we regularly provide opportunities for children to perform and read their work aloud enabling our children to become confident speakers as well as being proud of their written work.
In school, we feel that it is important that our children have as many opportunities as possible to write throughout the day and begin each day with a morning task: an open-ended question or task which children can answer however they choose. We feel strongly that children should be given opportunities to write in a way and about subjects that inspire them, so we regularly give children a chance to write independently choosing their own genre and subject. As well as this, as a school, we believe that it is important that children feel that their writing has a purpose and expect high quality written work in all subjects with their audience and the purpose of the writing in mind.
We maintain that, through our writing curriculum, pupils will leave us with a set of skills which has them fully prepared for the continuation of their journey in education as well as an understanding of how to adapt their writing style to suit many purposes, an appreciation of how a writer can craft language to impact their reader, and an enjoyment of writing creatively.
