English

Click the links below for information from our latest phonics workshops [Autumn 2023]:

Phonics Workshop Reception 2023

Phonics Workshop KS1 2023

In English we will provide for the language development of pupils and will develop their ability to use language to think, explore, recognise and communicate their ideas.

We will teach children specific oracy, reading and writing skills which are then embedded across the curriculum throughout the day.

Our children will be literate so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others effectively.

Phonics

We have created our own systematic synthetic phonics programme using the National Curriculum and incorporating some Jolly Phonics resources. This programme includes:

• sufficient support for children in Reception and Key Stage 1 to become fluent readers;
• a structured route for most children to meet or exceed the expected standard in the year one phonics screening check;
• all national curriculum expectations for word reading through decoding by the end of Key Stage 1.

Our programme is designed to suit the needs of our children. It is taught through 6 stages. Stage 1 supports the development of listening and speaking skills. Stage 2 - 5 is a systematic approach to phonics teaching and word recognition skills. Stage 6 focuses on word-specific spellings and the rules for spelling alternatives.

Click to see our HIS Phonics Stages.

Click to see our HIS Phonics Long Term Plan.

Phonics is taught as a discrete 20-30 minute session every day in all year groups. Each lesson follows the structure of revisit and review (previous learning or Common Exception Words), teach, practise and apply. Further opportunities for practise and application are given during daily reading sessions and in whole class English lessons. Parents/carers are notified of the phonics taught each half term through our Learning Leaflet. Across the school parents/carers are also reminded of the weekly phonics focus each week through our homework challenges sent out in books [KS1] and via Tapestry posts [Reception].

Our phonics mats [see below] support children with their reading, writing and spelling. You can click the tab on the left hand side of this page to download these.

Handwriting

We are very proud of our children’s handwriting and take particular care in our handwriting style. Formal teaching of handwriting is carried out regularly and systematically to ensure Key Stage targets are met. We use “Letter-join’s” online handwriting resource and lesson planner as the basis of our handwriting, as it covers all the requirements of the National Curriculum. Although we use the fonts described below when explicitly teaching handwriting, we recognise that children are exposed to a variety of fonts when reading text. Therefore, around Hartford Infant and Preschool there will be different fonts used on displays etc.

In Reception and Year 1, we use the font Letter-join Air No-lead. This is an unjoined font, without lead in lines that teaches our children appropriate ‘hooks’ ready for joining in Year 2.

In Year 2 we use the font Letter-join No-lead. This is a joined font, without lead in lines [see Appendix 3 for handwriting verbal path].

For consistency, we use a verbal path when forming each letter e.g. for the letter a we would say "start on the dot, curve down and around, up, down and hook". Click on the tab on the left hand side of this page to download the verbal path for all letters of the alphabet.

Key texts and skills in English 

In our English lessons we will use high-quality core texts to inspire a love of literature. The texts we cover are set out for each year group. Please see our Long Term Plans for Autumn, Spring and Summer below or in the panel to the left hand side of this page for more information.

Resources

Click on the image for phonics games 

 

Click on the image to access Bug Club

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