Phonics

Phonics is a way of teaching children how to read and write.

Little Wandle (Letters & Sounds Revised) is used and followed throughout Early Years and Key Stage One. We began following this scheme at Mayfield in 2022, as it is proven to provide a consistent approach, impacting on children’s reading fluency and produce results in the phonics screening check.

Little Wandle Letters draws on the latest research into how children learn best; how to ensure learning stays in children’s long-term memory and how best to enable children to apply their learning to become highly competent readers.

At Mayfield, we follow Little Wandle’s seven features of effective phonics practice. These are:  

• Direct teaching in frequent, short bursts.
• Consistency of approach.  
• Secure, systematic progression in phonics learning.  
• Maintaining pace of learning.  
• Providing repeated practice.
• Application of phonics using matched decodable books.  
• Early identification of children at risk of falling behind, linked to the provision of effective keep-up support.

Phonics sessions are planned and delivered to ensure an effective and consistent approach is always provided:

• All teachers watch the Little Wandle ‘How to’ videos.
• All teachers refer to the ‘Prompt cards’, in preparation for teaching.  
• Mayfield has dedicated English and Phonics Leaders, who are responsible for coaching teachers, monitoring provision, gathering data, and ensuring that all teachers are trained.  
• English lead monitors phonics teaching, with a focus on consistency.

Through the Little Wandle scheme, we can ensure early identification of children at risk of falling behind and provide effective keep-up support.  This involves:

• Simple but effective continuous assessment, both informal and formal.
• Regular progress reviews for all children.
• Methods of informal support implemented as soon as necessary.
• Systems for formal support clearly established and implemented as soon as necessary.
• Plans and materials for effective support readily to hand.
• Teacher guides with full support for one-to-one keep-up sessions for children in reception, year 1 and beyond.  
• ‘How to’ videos to support one-to-one and group teaching.  
• Templates and weekly grids for daily additional blending practice lessons.  
• Six termly assessments for each year group.  
• Assessment guides that help teachers identify next steps for teaching, advice on how to fill any gaps in learning, and include links to appropriate.  
• Keep-up materials for children who need urgent additional support.

All staff strive to ensure the children make outstanding progress.