Following an update from the DfE around phonics teaching we have moved to Essential Letters and Sounds: this is a phonics programme based on Letters and Sounds (2007).

This phonics programme will support children in making quick progress to become fluent and confident readers. To best support us in teaching children how to read we ask that children read the decodable text provided by the school 4 times across the week. Teaching reading is a partnership between school and parents / carers. Spending 10 minutes a day reading with your child will hugely support them in their journey to becoming an independent reader.

In Maple Class, we change children’s books once a week (Reception - Thursdays / Year 1 - Fridays), this allows your child to re-read each text several times building their confidence and fluency. This is especially important as they begin to learn that the sounds within our language can be spelt in different ways. It is a key part of learning to read that children re-read words and sentences that they can decode (sound out) until they are fluent (read with ease and precision). By reading texts several times children have the greatest opportunity to achieve this fluency. The texts sent home are carefully matched to the teaching taking place in school. Your child will be practising what they have been taught in school with you at home.

We will only ask children to read books independently when they can decode these by themselves. Any books that are not yet decodable for the children will be a sharing book (labelled 'Maple Class Library). These books are there for you to read with you child, helping us to instil a love of reading from the very beginning of their reading journey. These could be read together with your child reading the words they are able to decode or could be read to your child.

If you have any further questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Carroll.