Phonics
At Loscoe C of E Primary School and Nursery, we are committed to giving every child the strongest possible start in reading and writing.
We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a systematic synthetic phonics programme which supports children to learn to read accurately and fluently. Through daily, carefully sequenced teaching, children learn the sounds that letters represent, how to blend sounds to read words and how to use their phonics knowledge when spelling and writing.
Our aim is for every child to develop secure phonics knowledge, providing strong foundations for confident, fluent reading and successful writing.
Our phonics provision is led by Miss Davy. For further information about phonics at Loscoe, please contact Miss Davy at lisad21@loscoe.derbyshire.sch.uk.
Phonics at Home
We believe that working closely with parents and carers is an important part of helping children become confident readers.
Our open-door approach allows staff and families to work together to support children's phonics and reading development. Throughout the year, we provide information and resources to help parents understand how phonics is taught and how the same approaches can be reinforced at home.
In Squirrels (Nursery), parents have regular opportunities to talk with staff about their child's development and next steps.
In Alps (Reception) and Andes (Year 1), we provide phonics information for parents throughout the year, alongside individual parents' meetings. We explain how phonics is taught, how parents can support reading and writing at home, and provide information about age-related expectations and the Phonics Screening Check.
Families are also supported with useful resources such as sound mats, word bookmarks and ideas for practising reading at home.
Tricky Words
Some commonly used words contain parts that children have not yet learnt to decode using their phonics knowledge. These are known as tricky words.
Children are taught to recognise and read these words as part of their daily phonics teaching. We give children lots of opportunities to revisit and practise tricky words through engaging activities, reading and writing so that they become increasingly confident and automatic when recognising them.
Squirrels: Nursery
In Squirrels, we recognise that children's early listening and sound awareness provide important foundations for later reading and writing.
Children develop their phonological awareness through playful activities including listening to and identifying sounds, exploring rhythm and rhyme, and hearing sounds within words.
As our Nursery includes children at different stages of development, activities are carefully matched to children's needs. Phonics learning takes place through both child-led play and focused adult-led opportunities, helping children develop the skills they will need as they move towards Reception.
Alps: Reception
In Alps, children begin their systematic phonics journey. Children are assessed so that staff have a clear understanding of their starting points and can ensure teaching meets their individual needs.
Children take part in a daily phonics lesson, following the carefully sequenced Little Wandle programme. They learn new sounds, practise recognising letters, blend sounds together to read words and develop their spelling skills.
Learning is regularly revisited to help children remember and apply what they have been taught. Teaching is engaging, interactive and supported by regular reading practice, enabling children to develop increasing accuracy, fluency and confidence.
Andes: Year 1
In Andes, children continue to develop their phonics knowledge through systematic whole-class teaching.
Children's progress is monitored carefully so that any gaps or misconceptions can be identified quickly. Where additional support is needed, children receive targeted opportunities to practise and secure important knowledge.
As children's reading develops, greater emphasis is placed on fluency, spelling and comprehension. Children learn to apply their growing phonics knowledge independently across reading and writing while developing the skills needed to understand and enjoy increasingly challenging texts.
Phonics Screening Check
Children in Year 1 complete the statutory Phonics Screening Check, usually during June.
The check provides an indication of how securely children can apply their phonics knowledge when reading familiar words and unfamiliar 'pseudo-words'. Teachers use the outcome alongside their ongoing assessment to identify whether children are working at the expected standard and whether any further support is required.
Children who do not meet the expected standard in Year 1 continue to receive phonics support and usually complete the check again in Year 2.
Click here for more information about the Phonics Screening Check.
At Loscoe, we recognise that secure phonics knowledge is an essential foundation for reading, but becoming a successful reader involves much more. Alongside decoding, we develop children's fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, while nurturing a love of books and reading for pleasure.
Our Phonics Screening Check Results
We are proud of the progress our children make in phonics and continually use assessment information to strengthen our provision.
| Year | Percentage meeting the expected standard |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 85% |
| 2025 | 78% |
| 2024 | 85% |
| 2023 | 86% |
| 2022 | 67% |
| 2021 | No statutory check due to COVID-19 |
| 2020 | No statutory check due to COVID-19 |
| 2019 | 91% |
Year 2 and Key Stage 2
In Year 2, children continue to build on the strong phonics foundations developed in Reception and Year 1. During the Autumn Term, all Phase 5 phonics is revisited and consolidated, ensuring children have a secure understanding of the alternative graphemes and pronunciation of sounds they have previously been taught.
Following this, children gradually transition from discrete phonics teaching into spelling, where they learn to apply their phonics knowledge alongside increasingly complex spelling patterns, rules and conventions. Reading continues to focus on developing accuracy, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, supporting children to become increasingly confident and independent readers.
Phonics beyond Key Stage 1
We recognise that some children may require additional phonics support beyond Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2, pupils who have gaps in their phonics knowledge continue to receive targeted phonics intervention matched to their individual needs.
Teachers use assessment to identify gaps and provide appropriate support, including opportunities to revisit previously taught sounds, practise blending and develop reading fluency. This ensures that children continue to build the decoding skills they need to successfully access reading and learning across the wider curriculum.
Our aim is that no child is left behind in reading, with additional phonics teaching provided for as long as it is needed.