Phonics and Early Reading

Frequently Asked Questions for Parents

What is phonics?

Phonics is a way of teaching children how to read and write. It helps children hear, identify and use different sounds to blend words together and read them

e.g. c-a-t.

What phonics scheme does Highfield Academy follow?

At Highfield Academy we follow the Bug Club Programme to teach phonics.

How often will my child be taught phonics?

Children from Reception to Year 2 will have a phonics lesson every day for approximately 30 minutes. The skills learned in this lesson will then be followed up in other English lessons.

Which year groups use this programme?

This programme is used in all year groups and in order to teach your children to read effectively we follow the programme consistently.

When does my child start learning to read?

Phonics teaching begins in Reception as soon as the children enter school.

In Nursery the children will learn pre-reading skills that support the introduction of phonics lessons in Reception.

When will my child first bring a reading book home?

As your child is introduced to letters and they begin to blend simple words together they will bring a reading book home. It is important for your child to bring books home that they can read independently and this will then make them feel confident and successful.

What reading scheme does the school follow?

The scheme we use is called ‘Phonics Bug’.

The book your child will bring home will be from this scheme and it will be selected by your child’s class teacher based on their knowledge of letters and words. Once your child becomes more confident with their reading they will be sent a variety of books from a variety of authors.

What can I do to help when reading at home?

• Read lots of stories to your child. This is the best support you can provide at all ages!!
• When reading their book, encourage your child to sound out words that they find hard to read.
• Look at the instructions in the front of the book and find the ‘tricky’ words that the children will need to practise before reading – these are words they will not be able to sound out.
• Practise the book more than once. Your child will develop their growing knowledge of words by reading them over and over in familiar books.

Where can I get more information to support my child’s reading?

• Look on Freeflow Info regularly as teachers will provide regular updates on what your child is learning in phonics and how you can help.
• Speak to your child’s class teacher. Staff are always happy to discuss your child’s learning with you.