Phonics
Phonics at St Chad's RC Primary School
At St Chad's, we believe every child deserves the best start to their reading journey. We use the Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics programme to give children the skills and confidence they need to become fluent readers and enthusiastic writers.
What is Read Write Inc. Phonics?
Read Write Inc. Phonics is a structured programme developed by Ruth Miskin. It helps children learn to:
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Recognise and say sounds (phonemes)
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Blend sounds together to read words
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Segment words to spell them
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Read with accuracy, fluency, and expression
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Build a love of reading from an early age
Children make rapid progress through small, daily sessions taught in groups according to their ability.
How We Teach Phonics at St Chad's
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Daily Lessons: Children take part in short, focused phonics sessions every day.
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Group Learning: Children are grouped by their progress so they receive the right level of support and challenge.
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Step by Step: Each session includes practising new sounds, reading “green words” (decodable words), learning “red words” (common exception words), and reading books that are closely matched to their phonics knowledge.
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Storybooks: Children bring home books that are carefully chosen so they can practise sounds they know and feel successful as readers.
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Assessment: Children are regularly assessed and regrouped to ensure progress is consistent.
How You Can Support at Home
Working together makes the biggest difference. Here are some simple ways you can help your child at home:
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Listen to your child read their phonics storybook every day.
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Encourage your child to use “pure sounds” when sounding out words (see video link below).
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Practise “green words” (decodable) and “red words” (common exception words).
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Read aloud to your child regularly and enjoy stories together.
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Spot sounds and words in the environment (shop signs, posters, labels, etc.).
Useful Resources for Parents
Downloads
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[Speed Sounds Chart – Set 1, 2 & 3]
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[Parent Phonics Information Leaflet]
In Action at St Chad's
We will add photos and short video clips here to show phonics learning in our classrooms.
📌 If you have any questions about phonics or how to support your child, please speak to your child’s class teacher or our Phonics Lead Miss Edmunds.