Phonics at Biggleswade Academy

At Biggleswade Academy, we BELIEVE that teaching phonics is a fundamental strategy to enable children to become confident and independent readers and writers.

Teaching phonics helps children to hear, identify and use different sounds that distinguish one word from another in the English Language. Phonics focuses on analytical skills for breaking the code of the written language. Pupils learn to say the sound (phoneme) that is represented by each letter or group of letters (grapheme). Pupils then practice using this knowledge to blend and segment words which enable the children to learn to read and write.

Research into children’s reading development shows that when phonics is taught in a structured way – starting with the easiest sounds and progressing through to the most complex – it is the most effective way of teaching young children to read. Almost all children who receive good teaching of phonics will learn the skills they need to tackle new words. They can then go on to read any kind of text fluently and confidently, and to read for enjoyment. Children who have been taught phonics also tend to read more accurately than those taught using other methods.

Phonics at Biggleswade Academy is taught daily in EYFS and KS1 through fun, fast-paced sessions which involve using puppets, singing and games as well as reading and writing activities.

At Biggleswade Academy, we follow the Collins Song of Sounds phonics scheme from Nursery through to Year 2 and for interventions with children with specific needs.

Pupils' progress is monitored closely to ensure all children are ACHIEVING their full potential and are becoming confident in the fundamental skills needed for early reading and writing. Children that require extra support are quickly identified and a range of strategies will be used to ensure that pupils make excellent progress.