Phonics at Whitefield

From January 2021 our school started to embed and use a new phonics scheme, Essential Letters and Sounds. 

Below we have collated as much information as possible to ensure that parents are able to continue to support their children with learning outside of school. If you would like any more information or to discuss other ways in which you can help your child learn to read then, then please ask your child's class teacher.

What is Phonics?

Phonics is the way we teach children to read and write. Children learn the sounds that letters make and how to put these sounds together to read words. For example, children learn to say the sounds c-a-t and blend them together to read cat. Phonics also helps children hear the sounds in words so they can begin to spell and write independently.

Watch the video below to discover what phonics is, how it is taught and how it supports your child’s reading journey.

Harder to Read and Spell Words (HRS words)

HRS words, are words that children should know even though they have not yet been taught the relevant GPCs (Grapheme Phoneme Correspondences) within these words. HRS words are common in the English language and it is important that children can read and spell them. Please see the Reception and Year 1 documents which outline the order and term in which these words will be taught in our school.

Press the links below: 

Reading with your child

Reading books are changed once per week. This allows your child to re-read each text several times, building their confidence and fluency. This is especially important as they begin to learn that the sounds within our language can be spelt in different ways.

For children, re-reading words and sentences that they can decode (sound out) until they are fluent (read with ease and precision) is a key part of learning to read. By reading texts several times, children have the greatest opportunity to achieve this fluency.

The texts sent home are carefully matched to the teaching taking place in school. Your child will be practising what they have been taught in school with you at home. We will only ask children to read books independently when they can decode these by themselves.

Reception - Phase 2 Sounds

During the Autumn Term, Reception children learn 23 Phase 2 sounds (GPCs) and practise oral blending, sounding out and blending words. They will also learn 12 Harder to Read and Spell (HRS) words.

We model pure sounds to help children blend successfully. Please watch the video below to hear how each sound is pronounced correctly.

Using a consistent approach at home and school helps children become confident readers.

Reception - Phase 3 Sounds

During the second half of the Autumn Term and throughout Spring, Reception children learn 29 Phase 3 sounds (GPCs) and continue to develop their blending and sounding-out skills. They will also learn 32 Harder to Read and Spell (HRS) words.

We model pure sounds to support successful blending. Please watch the video below to hear how each sound is pronounced correctly and explore the links for further support with phonics at home. Using a consistent approach at home and school helps children make the best possible progress with their phonics. Please speak to your child's class teacher if you would like any further support.

Year One Phonics

In Year One, children continue to build on the phonics skills learned in Reception. They learn new sounds and alternative spellings (Phase 5), while developing their confidence in blending to read words and segmenting to spell. Children practise applying their phonics skills when reading and writing, helping them to become increasingly fluent and independent readers.

Please watch the video below to hear how each sound is pronounced correctly so you can support your child with phonics at home.

ELS Phonics Mnemonics

In Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS), children use mnemonics to help them remember the sound linked to each letter. These are simple phrases and actions that provide a memorable way to recall sounds and support correct letter formation. Mnemonics help make phonics learning fun, consistent and memorable, giving children greater confidence when reading and writing independently.

Please click the link below to explore the mnemonics used for each sound across all phases of our phonics programme.