Phonics at KWPS
At Kirkham and Wesham Primary School (KWPS), we are committed to giving every child the strongest possible start in reading. We teach early reading through a Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) approach using FFT Success for All Phonics, a carefully structured programme that develops children’s reading and spelling knowledge step by step.
Our aim is for every child to become a confident, fluent and enthusiastic reader, equipped with the skills they need to access the wider curriculum and develop a lifelong love of reading.
How FFT Success for All Phonics Works
Children begin their formal phonics journey in Reception, where they are introduced to phonemes (sounds) and the graphemes (letters or groups of letters) that represent them.
Sounds are taught in a carefully sequenced order. Children learn how to use their growing phonic knowledge to blend sounds together to read words and segment words into sounds to support spelling.
This learning continues systematically through Reception and Year 1, with children regularly revisiting and building upon previously taught knowledge.
Our Phonics Approach
Daily Phonics Teaching
Children receive daily phonics teaching following the FFT Success for All Phonics programme. Lessons are structured and consistent so that children know what to expect and can concentrate on developing their reading and spelling skills.
Children regularly revisit previous learning, learn new phonemes and graphemes, and practise applying their knowledge through reading and writing.
Carefully Sequenced Learning
Phonics knowledge is taught progressively. Children begin with simpler sound–letter correspondences before progressing to digraphs, trigraphs and increasingly complex grapheme–phoneme correspondences.
As children move through Reception and Year 1, they build a growing bank of phonic knowledge and learn that the same sound can sometimes be represented in different ways.
Blending and Segmenting
Children are explicitly taught to blend sounds together to read words and segment spoken words into their individual sounds to support spelling.
These important skills are practised regularly so that children become increasingly accurate, confident and fluent readers.
Decodable Reading Books
The books children read are carefully matched to the phonics knowledge they have been taught. This gives children opportunities to successfully apply their developing phonic knowledge when reading whole books.
Repeated practice helps children develop accuracy, fluency and confidence, while also allowing them to enjoy the success of reading independently.
Planning and Teaching
Teachers follow the structured teaching sequence provided through FFT Success for All Phonics, ensuring consistency and progression across Reception and Year 1.
Phonics teaching includes:
- revisiting and reviewing previously taught sounds;
- introducing and practising new phonemes and graphemes;
- practising oral blending and segmenting;
- reading words, phrases and sentences;
- applying phonics knowledge when spelling and writing;
- reading appropriately matched decodable texts; and
- regular opportunities to revisit and consolidate learning.
Staff use consistent language and approaches so that children experience the same phonics routines throughout their early reading journey.
Assessment and Keep-Up Support
Assessment is an important part of our phonics provision. Teachers regularly assess children’s developing phonic knowledge so that they can quickly identify any gaps or misconceptions.
Children who are finding aspects of phonics more difficult receive prompt, targeted additional support. Our aim is for children to keep up rather than catch up, with additional practice closely matched to the knowledge and skills they need to secure.
Children who require continued phonics support beyond Year 1 receive appropriate targeted teaching so that gaps in their phonic knowledge do not become a barrier to reading.
Progression from Reception to Year 1
Reception
In Reception, children begin building their knowledge of the alphabetic code. They learn to recognise phonemes and their corresponding graphemes and apply this knowledge when reading and writing.
Throughout the year, children develop their ability to blend sounds to read words and segment words for spelling. They apply their growing knowledge when reading carefully matched decodable books.
Year 1
In Year 1, children build upon the strong foundations established in Reception. They continue to broaden their knowledge of the alphabetic code, including learning alternative ways that sounds can be represented.
Children practise reading increasingly complex words and texts, with a continued focus on accuracy, automaticity and fluency.
Children are also prepared for the statutory Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, which takes place during the summer term.
Children who do not meet the expected standard continue to receive targeted phonics teaching and support.
Supporting Phonics at Home
Parents and carers play an important role in helping children develop as readers. At KWPS, we encourage families to support phonics by:
Practising sounds at home
Revisit the sounds and graphemes your child has been learning and encourage them to practise blending these sounds to read words.
Reading regularly together
Listen to your child read their decodable reading book regularly. These books are carefully matched to the phonics knowledge your child has been taught, allowing them to practise their skills successfully.
Encouraging children to use their phonics
When your child meets an unfamiliar decodable word, encourage them to look carefully at the graphemes, say the sounds and blend them together.
Making reading enjoyable
Alongside practising decodable books, share stories, poems and non-fiction books together. Talking about books, enjoying stories and reading aloud to children are all important parts of developing a love of reading.
Attending parent workshops
Where appropriate, KWPS provides opportunities for parents and carers to learn more about how phonics and early reading are taught and how they can support learning at home.
Ensuring Every Child Succeeds
At KWPS, we believe that every child can become a successful reader.
Consistency, high-quality daily teaching, carefully matched reading books, regular assessment and timely additional support are central to our approach. Teachers continually check what children know and adapt support so that gaps are identified and addressed quickly.
Through strong teaching and positive partnerships between school and home, we aim to ensure that children leave the early stages of reading with secure phonic knowledge, increasing fluency and confidence, and a genuine enjoyment of books.
At KWPS, learning to read is the beginning of a journey that enables children to Belong, Believe and Be the Best They Can Be.