Reading is one of life’s most essential skills. At St Denys Primary School we strive to ensure that all children will develop a love of books, enthusiasm for promoting their reading skills and grow to be confident, competent readers. This starts from when the children enter the school and builds throughout. We place high emphasis on the teaching of early reading and phonics which is focused on in Reception and Years 1 and 2 and reinforced in Key Stage 2. 

How we teach Phonics

The staff plan daily, fun, interactive phonics lessons using the ‘Phonics Bug’ scheme. Assessments are carried out regularly to ensure children are remembering and using the phonics that they have been taught and intervention is put in place where there are any gaps. We provide information for parents and carers about the phonics the children are learning and how to support at home through the class pages on our website and also through our learning platform 'Class Dojo'. Children regularly read books that match the phonic phase they are working on in the class which are also sent home. Children also have regular access to the Bug Club E-Books and games which they can also access at home.

There are 6 phases within our :

• Phase 1 starts at pre-school and is reinforced throughout
• Phases 2 and 3 and 4 are taught in Reception
• Phase 5 in Year 1
• Phase 6 in Year 2.