1. Introduction

At Discovery Academy, we recognise that developing strong communication and literacy skills is essential to every pupil's learning, independence and future success.

Our aim is to provide an engaging, inclusive and integrated approach to literacy, bringing together speaking and listening, reading and writing to support pupils in developing the skills and confidence they need to communicate effectively.

Our phonics teaching is underpinned by the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme, providing a consistent, structured and systematic approach to developing early reading and spelling skills.

We recognise that every pupil arrives with different experiences, abilities and starting points. Therefore, phonics teaching is carefully adapted to meet individual learning needs and ensure meaningful progress.

Our approach

• Assess: Identify each pupil's existing phonics knowledge, reading ability and previous experience of phonics programmes.

• Teach: Deliver daily, structured phonics sessions following the sequence Revisit → Teach → Practise → Apply.

• Engage: Use focused teaching, modelling, visual resources, rhymes and practical activities to develop understanding.

• Apply: Provide regular opportunities for pupils to practise phonics through speaking, reading, writing and spelling.

• Progress: Support pupils to move towards spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPAG) or functional skills activities once they are ready to exit the phonics programme.

Phonics is taught daily, with teaching informed by assessment and adapted to pupils' individual learning needs.

2. Purpose and Aims

Our phonics provision aims to:

• Establish a consistent, systematic and inclusive approach to phonics teaching across the academy.

• Develop pupils' phonological awareness, decoding, reading, spelling and handwriting skills.

• Provide daily opportunities for oral, reading and written practice to secure and extend phonic knowledge.

• Enable pupils to apply their phonics knowledge confidently across reading, writing and wider curriculum activities.

• Foster positive attitudes towards literacy through engaging, purposeful and accessible learning experiences.

• Ensure every pupil makes progress from their individual starting point.

3. Teaching and Learning Expectations

3.1 Planning and Progression

Phonics planning is informed by ongoing assessment and follows the sequence outlined in the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme.

Staff will:

• Use the Little Wandle planning format, including the teaching of identified 'tricky words'.

• Plan clear learning objectives that reflect pupils' individual needs and current stages of development.

• Introduce new sounds systematically, using appropriate images, rhymes, modelling and cued articulation where appropriate.

• Ensure pupils revisit and consolidate previously taught sounds before progressing to new learning.

• Adapt the pace of teaching to support pupils who may require additional time, repetition or reinforcement.

New learning should take place daily or weekly, depending on individual pupil needs and readiness.

3.2 Daily Phonics Sessions

All pupils accessing the phonics programme will receive daily phonics teaching.

Sessions will follow a consistent four-part structure:

Stage	Teaching Focus
1. Revisit	Recall and consolidate previously taught sounds, words and learning.
2. Teach	Introduce and explicitly model new sounds, words or skills using appropriate resources and strategies.
3. Practise	Provide opportunities for pupils to rehearse and secure learning through oral, reading and written activities.
4. Apply	Encourage pupils to use their learning independently in reading, spelling and writing activities.

Teaching should be focused, purposeful and appropriately paced, with opportunities for pupils to experience success and develop confidence.

3.3 Grouping and Differentiation

Pupils will be grouped according to their current phonics knowledge and the sets of sounds they are learning, rather than solely by age or class.

Groups will remain flexible and responsive, ensuring that:

• Teaching builds on pupils' existing knowledge and understanding.

• Activities are appropriately matched to individual needs.

• Pupils receive additional support or challenge where required.

• Regular assessment informs movement between groups.

• Every pupil has opportunities to progress at a pace appropriate to their development.

3.4 Inclusive Teaching Approaches

We recognise that pupils learn in different ways and may require a range of strategies to access phonics successfully.

Teaching will incorporate a variety of approaches, including:

• Visual prompts, images and phonics resources.

• Rhymes, repetition and oral rehearsal.

• Demonstration and explicit modelling.

• ICT and interactive learning activities.

• Games, drama and practical experiences.

• Speaking, listening, reading and writing opportunities.

• Cued articulation, particularly where speech and language difficulties are a pupil's primary area of need.

Cued articulation is the preferred approach for developing speech and phonetic reading where pupils' primary needs relate to speech and language difficulties.

All activities should be accessible, engaging and adapted to support individual learning needs.

4. Assessment and Monitoring

Assessment is an integral part of phonics teaching and should be an ongoing process.

Initial Assessment

Each pupil will be assessed to establish:

• The sounds they can recognise and recall.

• Their ability to read and decode words.

• Their knowledge of previously taught phonics sounds and patterns.

• Their experience of phonics programmes in previous educational settings.

Ongoing Assessment

Staff will maintain accurate and up-to-date records of pupil progress, including assessment of:

• Individual sounds read in isolation.

• Sounds applied within real words.

• Sounds applied within non-real words.

• Progress through the relevant sets of phonics sounds.

Assessment information will be used to inform planning, identify gaps in learning, provide targeted support and determine when pupils are ready to progress.

5. Handwriting and Letter Formation

Handwriting is an important part of developing pupils' literacy skills and should be embedded within phonics teaching wherever appropriate.

Pupils will be taught the conventional formation of both lowercase and capital letters through:

• Clear demonstration and modelling.

• Purposeful, guided handwriting practice.

• Opportunities to practise letter formation alongside phonics activities.

• Appropriate alternative methods where conventional written practice is not accessible.

Teaching should support pupils in developing a comfortable, legible and increasingly independent handwriting style, taking account of their individual physical and developmental needs.

6. Applying Phonics Across the Curriculum

Phonics should not be viewed as an isolated lesson. Pupils should be encouraged to use and develop their phonics knowledge throughout the school day.

Staff will provide opportunities for pupils to:

• Apply decoding skills when reading across different subjects.

• Use phonics knowledge to support spelling and writing.

• Develop confidence when reading unfamiliar words.

• Reinforce previously taught sounds through meaningful learning experiences.

Daily practice is essential, but the application of learning across the curriculum is equally important.

7. Progression Beyond Phonics

All pupils will continue to access phonics teaching until assessment demonstrates that they are ready to exit the programme.

Once pupils have completed their phonics programme, they will progress to appropriately matched learning activities focusing on:

• Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPAG): Developing accuracy, understanding and confidence in written communication.

• Functional Skills: Applying literacy skills in practical, meaningful and everyday contexts.

Decisions about progression will be informed by individual assessment and pupils' readiness for the next stage of learning.

8. Working in Partnership with Families

We recognise the important role that parents and carers play in supporting the development of early reading and literacy skills.

To promote a consistent approach between school and home, we will share the principles of effective phonics teaching through:

• Parent and carer workshops.

• School communications and information literature.

• The academy website.

• Social media and other appropriate communication platforms.

Our aim is to help families understand how phonics is taught and how they can support their child's learning beyond the classroom.

9. Roles and Responsibilities

Effective phonics provision is a shared responsibility across the academy.

Role	Key Responsibilities
English Lead	Oversees phonics curriculum content and resources, monitors planning and provides professional guidance and support to colleagues.
HLTA – Communication	Delivers targeted small-group interventions where additional support is required.
Class Teacher	Uses assessment information to plan appropriate phonics and handwriting lessons, ensuring teaching meets individual pupil needs.
Class Team	Delivers phonics teaching in line with teacher planning, supports pupil engagement and contributes to ongoing assessment.

All staff involved in phonics teaching are expected to contribute to a consistent, inclusive and purposeful approach.

10. Conclusion

At Discovery Academy, we believe that every pupil deserves the opportunity to develop the literacy skills needed to communicate, learn and achieve.

High-quality phonics teaching provides important foundations for reading, spelling, writing and wider communication. Through daily, systematic practice, engaging teaching approaches and carefully planned opportunities to apply learning, we aim to ensure that every pupil makes meaningful progress.

Our commitment is to deliver phonics lessons that are consistent, accessible, enjoyable and responsive to individual needs, helping every pupil develop confidence and independence as a learner.

"There is so much more to a book than just reading."
— Maurice Sendak

 

Our Vision for Reading

At Discovery Academy, we believe that reading opens doors to learning, independence, opportunity and enjoyment. Reading is an essential life skill, and we are committed to developing confident, capable and functional readers who develop a lifelong love of books and literature.

Our ambition is for every pupil to become a fluent and effective reader, equipped with the vocabulary, comprehension skills and confidence needed to navigate everyday life and prepare for adulthood.

We recognise that every pupil's reading journey is unique. From developing early reading and phonics skills to exploring increasingly complex texts and applying functional reading skills, our approach is inclusive, personalised and responsive to individual needs.

Reading at Discovery is about more than recognising words. It is about understanding the world, developing curiosity, making connections and discovering new possibilities.

Our Approach to Reading

Our reading curriculum is carefully designed to develop strong foundations in language and literacy while nurturing a genuine enjoyment of reading.

We aim to ensure that pupils:

• Become confident, functional readers who can apply their skills meaningfully in school, at home and within the wider community.

• Develop rich vocabulary and comprehension skills, supporting effective communication and a deeper understanding of the world.

• Experience reading for pleasure, discovering books, authors and genres that reflect their interests and broaden their experiences.

• Access high-quality literature, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and classic texts.

• Build independence and readiness for adulthood, using reading skills to navigate real-life situations and prepare for their next steps.

• Make progress from their individual starting points, with early reading skills reinforced throughout the academy according to individual learning needs.

A Rich and Ambitious Reading Curriculum

Our curriculum provides pupils with regular opportunities to engage with high-quality texts that inspire imagination, encourage discussion and extend understanding.

Reading is woven throughout our curriculum, with the four corners of our curriculum helping to shape the texts and experiences pupils encounter.

Through carefully selected topic-based literature and our #DC Top 5 Reading Spine, pupils explore a broad range of genres, themes and perspectives.

This approach allows pupils to revisit familiar texts, consolidate their understanding, develop vocabulary and make meaningful connections between reading and their wider learning.

The #DC Top 5 Reads

 

Our #DC Top 5 Reads are an important part of our English curriculum, providing pupils with opportunities to become familiar with a carefully selected range of high-quality literature.

Through repeated exposure, exploration and overlearning, pupils develop confidence, strengthen comprehension and deepen their understanding of language.

Our Top 5 Reads support pupils to:

• Discover and enjoy a variety of literary styles and genres.

• Revisit familiar stories to strengthen understanding and recall.

• Develop vocabulary, communication and comprehension.

• Explore characters, themes, emotions and experiences.

• Build positive relationships with books and reading.

Click here to explore our #DC Top 5 Reads

Our Reading Spaces and Libraries

We believe that a love of reading is nurtured through access to inviting spaces, engaging resources and books that reflect the diversity of our school community and the wider world.

At Discovery, pupils have access to a library of books spanning a wide variety of genres, encouraging them to explore different authors, discover new interests and develop their own reading preferences.

Celebrating Diversity Through Literature

Our dedicated Protected Characteristics Library, located within the Serenity Space on the first floor of school, provides an additional collection of carefully selected texts that celebrate diversity, promote inclusion and encourage understanding.

This collection supports pupils in exploring different identities, backgrounds, families and experiences, helping them to develop empathy, respect and an appreciation of the world around them.

Through these resources, we aim to ensure that pupils can both see themselves reflected in literature and discover experiences beyond their own.

Reading for Life

At Discovery Academy, reading is not simply a subject to be taught; it is a skill for life.

We recognise the importance of preparing our pupils for the opportunities and challenges of adulthood. Our approach therefore places equal value on developing a love of literature and ensuring that pupils can apply their reading skills in meaningful, practical situations.

Whether enjoying a favourite story, exploring a new topic, understanding information or developing the confidence to read independently, every achievement matters.

Our ambition is simple: for every pupil to leave Discovery with the reading skills, confidence and curiosity to continue learning, exploring and achieving beyond the classroom.