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Phonic Expectations

St Paul’s Phonic Expectations

At St Paul’s Primary we are passionate about supporting children to develop a life-long passion for reading – all of our children deserve to read well and quickly.  It is vital that they master the key skills of decoding and blending quickly.  Our chosen systematic synthetic phonics programme is Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) – a phonics programme that will support pupils to become fluent and confident readers.  Using ELS, we provide daily phonic lessons that begin right at the start of Reception as we begin introducing the sounds in the first full week of Autumn term.  We begin with 15-20 minutes sessions, building to 35 minute lessons as the children progress.  In addition to the daily lesson, staff ensure that all children “keep up” by identifying children who may need a mini-intervention lesson, or further rehearsal.  Interventions may focus on recognition of sounds, oral blending or blending to read.