English

At our school, we use the Little Wandle Phonics programme to teach children how to read and spell with confidence. Phonics helps children understand the link between letters and sounds, giving them the essential skills they need to decode words and become fluent readers. Little Wandle is a clear, structured programme that is taught daily and builds skills step by step, ensuring no child is left behind. It supports early reading and writing, boosts confidence, and provides strong foundations for learning across the curriculum, helping children to develop a lifelong love of reading.

Programme Overview Reception and Year 1

Parents Phonics PowerPoint

Video – Phase 2 sounds taught in Reception (Autumn 1)

Phase 2 Grapheme information sheet 1

Phase 2 Grapheme information sheet 2

Video – Phase 2 sounds taught in Reception (Autumn 2)

Video – Phase 3 sounds taught in Reception (Spring 1)

Phase 3 information sheet

Phase 5 information sheet – How to Say the Sounds

At Sacred Heart School, we believe reading is an essential life skill and lies at the very heart of our curriculum. Reading opens doors to learning, imagination and understanding the world, and we are committed to helping every child become a confident, enthusiastic reader.

Our Intent

We aim to:

• Foster a love of reading through rich experiences with fiction, non-fiction and poetry

• Ensure children read confidently and with secure understanding, developing skills for life

• Build a community of engaged readers who read for pleasure and meaning

• Encourage regular reading for enjoyment at school and at home

• Ensure reading skills are applied across the wider curriculum

• Provide a consistent, high-quality approach to reading to support all learners and close gaps

How we teach reading

Reading is viewed as an entitlement for every child and is embedded throughout the school day. Children read for different purposes: to practise fluency, to understand meaning, and to enjoy books.

In Nursery, Reception and Key Stage 1, we follow the Little Wandle phonics programme. Children take part in daily phonics lessons that develop spelling and reading skills, supported by carefully matched reading books.

From Year 1 to Year 6, children take part in Whole Class Reading sessions three times a week, alongside reading across the wider curriculum. Reading lessons focus on developing comprehension developing vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval and summarising. Children who need extra support receive additional reading practice and targeted intervention.

We place strong emphasis on vocabulary development, exposing children to high-quality texts and ambitious language. Children are encouraged to collect and use new words in their writing, helping them become confident communicators.

Reading for Pleasure

We actively promote reading for enjoyment. Classrooms have welcoming book corners and children have regular time to read independently or share books. Our library is well stocked with high-quality, diverse texts, and children are encouraged to recommend books to one another. Alongside their reading book, children may choose an additional book purely for pleasure.

The Impact

Through our reading curriculum, children:

• Develop a genuine love of reading and enthusiasm for books

• Read confidently, fluently and with understanding

• Apply reading skills across all subjects

• Build strong vocabulary and oracy skills

• Achieve well, with increasing numbers reaching the expected standard and beyond

• Are supported effectively if they find reading challenging

Above all, we want our children to leave school as lifelong readers, ready to access learning, explore new ideas and enjoy the power of books.

Everybody Read Leaflet

At Sacred Heart Primary School, we believe that English—and writing in particular—is a vital part of our curriculum and an essential life skill. Writing allows children to express their thoughts, ideas and imagination clearly and creatively, and it plays an important role across all areas of learning. Our aim is to inspire a love of writing, helping children see themselves as confident authors who take pride in their work.

Writing is taught through engaging topics that immerse children in their learning and provide meaningful reasons to write. Children explore high-quality fiction, non-fiction and poetry, which model different styles, structures and vocabulary. They are taught a clear writing process, including planning, drafting, editing and publishing, so they understand how writing can be improved and refined. Grammar, spelling and punctuation are taught in context, helping children apply their skills purposefully and confidently.

We place strong emphasis on vocabulary development, encouraging children to experiment with ambitious language and make thoughtful choices to engage the reader. Speaking and listening opportunities, such as discussion, drama and role play, support children in developing ideas before writing. From early letter formation to fluent handwriting, presentation is carefully taught so children take pride in their work.

Through this approach, children become imaginative, articulate writers who communicate effectively, enjoy writing, and develop skills that will support them throughout their education and beyond.