At Crescent Primary School, the teaching of phonics is a high priority throughout Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and where appropriate, in Key Stage 2. We are passionate about ensuring all children become confident and enthusiastic readers and writers. Through our curriculum drivers ‘Wonderful Words’ and ‘Dream Big’, we value reading and writing as key life skills and are all dedicated to enable our children to become lifelong readers and writers. All stake holders recognise that for our children to become fluent readers and writers, phonics must be taught through a systematic, synthetic and well-structured phonics programme that progressively supports phonetic knowledge and understanding. Therefore, we have just implemented the DfE approved phonics programme, ‘Super Sonic Phonics Friends’ to ensure consistency across the teaching of phonics throughout Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. The programme ensures that children develop passion for reading and writing and the confidence to independently apply skills when reading and writing independently. Children will be taught the 44 sounds of the English language and corresponding spelling rules that enable them to meet the expected standards in the year 1 phonics screening check.

Our school community has high percentages of both disadvantaged and SEND children with a rapidly growing number of EAL children. We aim to provide consistent, high quality phonics teaching that can be accessed and include all children.