Phonics Curriculum

Phonics at Westwood Farm

At Westwood Farm Schools we teach phonics through A Flying Start to Letters and Sounds programme. Phonics teaching is the first step to learning to read and supports children to develop their Literacy skills. Our aim is to enable our children to become fluent readers and to provide them with a good foundation in spelling.

Children throughout Early Years and Key Stage 1 are taught phonics daily. Phonics sessions are focused on developing the skills required to learn to read and write as well as promoting speaking and listening skills. A flying Start to Letters and Sounds programme is divided into five phases, each phase is designed to build on the skills and knowledge of previous learning. Children in our Nursery focus on phase one, supporting them to tune into and discriminate between sounds in a fun and multisensory way. Our Nursery is rich in signing, music and storytelling; helping children develop the fundamental basis of learning phonics. Phonics lessons throughout Foundation Stage Two and Key Stage One follow the revise, teach, practise and apply structure of lessons. The important principles of phase one phonics continues to be taught alongside all other phases. As children progress through the phases their progress is carefully tracked. If children are not progressing at the expected rate, or who require additional support, they are identified quickly and participate in targeted intervention; ‘Turbo Time’.

At Westwood Farm Schools we support our families to understand the principles of phonics and how we teach it by inviting them to our phonics café. Here parents and carers are able to ask specific questions and look through the resources their children will use in phonics lessons to give them a better understanding of supporting phonics and reading at home.

Please see our Phonics Policy for more information.

Please click HERE for our Parents Reading and Phonics presentation