At Langland Community School, we are committed to helping every child become a fluent communicator and a confident, independent reader. In Early Years and Key Stage One, this is achieved through daily Read Write Inc. lessons.
Read Write Inc. (RWI) supports our youngest learners to develop strong phonic knowledge and essential early reading skills, including blending and comprehension. This systematic, synthetic programme teaches children to recognise letter sounds and blend them together to read words accurately. Children are also taught to read common exception words by sight, known as red words. Alongside reading, pupils learn to spell by segmenting words into their individual sounds and writing down what they can hear.
Our phonics journey begins in the EYFS and sits at the heart of everything we do. Teaching is structured, fast-paced and engaging so that learning is both memorable and enjoyable. All children in Reception and Key Stage One take part in a daily phonics session. They are carefully grouped according to regular assessments, ensuring each child learns at a level matched to their needs.
Each group focuses on a specific set of sounds, which the children then apply when reading their books. Pupils take home a copy of the text they are reading in school that week, alongside an additional unseen book. They should be able to read most of the words in these books with ease, building fluency while also deepening their understanding of what they read.
Phonics Screening Check
At Langland Community School, we want every child to feel happy, confident and well prepared for the statutory Phonics Screening Check. The check takes place each June in Year 1 and helps us to see how well children are progressing with their phonics and how effectively they can use these skills to read unfamiliar words. Pupils read a list of 40 words aloud in a calm, one-to-one setting with a familiar teacher. The words include a mixture of real and made-up (nonsense) words, and the experience is designed to feel like a normal reading session.
If a child does not meet the expected standard, there is no need to worry. We quickly put extra support in place and children have the opportunity to retake the check in Year 2. If further practice is still needed, we continue to provide daily phonics intervention into Year 3 so that every pupil has the time and help they need to become a confident reader.
RWI Spelling
From Year 2, children move on to the Read Write Inc. Spelling programme at Langland Community School. This approach allows teachers to deliver lively, engaging lessons that build children’s confidence and accuracy in spelling.
Pupils learn, practise and investigate key spelling patterns while continually revisiting previous learning so that knowledge is strengthened and remembered. Through carefully planned and well-resourced sessions across the year, children are introduced to new concepts and then given regular opportunities to practise, apply, explore and explain what they have learned, helping them to develop a secure understanding.
Reading at home
At Langland Community School, every child takes a reading book home so that families can share in their reading journey.
In Key Stage 1, books are carefully matched to pupils’ phonic knowledge and are fully decodable, enabling children to practise their skills with confidence and independence. We have high expectations for reading at home and recommend that children read at least three times each week to build fluency and deepen understanding.
A love of reading is nurtured through regular exposure to high-quality texts by a wide range of authors. Through Talk for Writing sessions, reading-for-pleasure choices and engaging class texts, all children – from our earliest readers to those who are already fluent – experience a rich and varied reading diet. This helps to foster enjoyment while also developing an appreciation of different types of writing.
By the end of Key Stage 2, we aim for every pupil to be a competent, confident reader who can successfully tackle a broad range of texts and demonstrate strong comprehension skills.