English Curriculum

Reading, Phonics, Writing and Spelling

At Sacred Heart School, we aim to ensure that all pupils:

• read fluently with good understanding
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and acquiring information
• have a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions needed for reading, writing and spoken language
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage.

Skilled word reading involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) along with the recognition of familiar printed words. Underpinning both is the understanding that the letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words. This understanding is why phonics is emphasised in the early teaching of reading. 

The teaching of phonics begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage. As from September  2022, we implemented ‘Smart Kids Letters and Sounds – The Code’, which is an accredited systematic, synthetic phonics programme. Its purpose is to provide a fun and engaging programme that meets all the expectations of the national curriculum in reading and spelling.

Implementing the programme with fidelity, using the newly purchased resources, will support consistency of approach across the school. It will also ensure that the current rigour and high levels of achievement in terms of phonics teaching and learning is upheld.