Phonics and Early Reading at St Paulinus
At St Paulinus, reading is at the heart of our curriculum. We know that confident, fluent readers can access every subject and flourish in their learning, and we are committed to ensuring that every child leaves our school with both the skill and the love of reading.
We are resolute in our belief that almost all children can learn the phonic code. Only children with severe cognitive difficulties may not fully master this, but all pupils at St Paulinus are given the highest-quality teaching and support to help them succeed.
Our Approach to Phonics
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From the very first weeks of Reception, children are taught phonics directly and systematically. No time is wasted.
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We follow the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme with fidelity, ensuring that learning is explicit, progressive and consistent across school.
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Children receive daily phonics lessons in Reception and Year 1. They move through the programme together as much as possible, with those who need additional support prioritised for catch-up sessions throughout the day.
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Progress is carefully assessed and tracked away from the point of teaching, so we can match each child’s next steps and ensure that no learning gaps widen.
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Children are supported to apply phonetic knowledge throughout the curriculum, in reading, writing and play, so that learning becomes automatic and fluent.
Reading Books
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Every child takes home a reading practice book carefully matched to the sounds they have been taught. This means they can read with success and growing confidence. These books are changed up to three times per week.
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Alongside this, each child chooses a sharing book from our library to enjoy with parents or carers. These are not for independent decoding, but to foster a love of reading, imagination and family discussion.
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Our Big Cat Collins scheme complements the Little Wandle programme, ensuring books progress in step with children’s phonic knowledge.
Inclusion for All
At St Paulinus, phonics teaching is ambitious for all children:
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Pupils working at greater depth are challenged to apply their phonic knowledge in more complex texts and contexts.
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Pupils with SEND receive carefully adapted teaching, additional practice and targeted intervention, while still accessing the same high-quality phonics programme as their peers.
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Well-trained staff ensure that no child is left behind, and that every child has the opportunity to become a reader.
Our Staff
All staff at St Paulinus are trained in the Little Wandle approach, so that phonics is taught with expertise and consistency. Teachers take full responsibility for the progress of every child, supported by highly skilled teaching assistants.
Partnership with Parents
We know that learning to read is most effective when school and home work together. Parents and carers are supported through workshops, guidance and online resources, so they feel confident in helping their child. We expect children to practise reading at least three times a week at home, and we celebrate the progress they make with their families.
Beyond Phonics: A Love of Reading
Phonics is only one part of the journey. Alongside daily teaching, children at St Paulinus experience:
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Storytelling, poetry and rhyme from the earliest years.
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Daily ‘class book’ time, where teachers read aloud high-quality texts to model fluency and expression.
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A rich reading environment, with access to a wide range of books in our school library.
By combining systematic phonics with a strong emphasis on language, storytelling and enjoyment, we ensure that our pupils become not only fluent and accurate readers, but also lifelong lovers of books.
