The Essential Letter Sounds phonics and reading scheme teaches children to read using a systematic synthetic phonics approach. It is designed to be used as part of an early learning environment that is rich in talk and story, where children experience the joy of books and language whilst rapidly acquiring the skills to become fluent independent readers and writers. ELS teaches children to:

• decode by identifying each sound within a word and blending them together
to read fluently

• encode by segmenting each sound to write words accurately.

Home reading books match the progression and learning of each child exactly. For example, a child who has learnt the graphemes ‘sh, th’ ng’ in their phonics that week will have a book (sh, th ng) as their home reading book the following week, to embed and practise previously taught graphemes and phonemes.

All staff in EYFS and KS1 follow the same systematic teaching of phonics, which is continuously assessed and reviewed by the class teacher.

Other ways we promote reading:-

• Reading Raffle:  In our Celebration weekly assemblies, children who are reading regularly at home are celebrated.
• World Book Day is celebrated with many different whole school activities, such as teachers sharing their favourite books and whole school focus on one book.
• Our Reading Ambassadors - a group of children have volunteered to lead reading and meet regularly to discuss ideas, termly chosen authors and how to help promote reading for pleasure.  One task they have undertaken this year, is writing to the parents to help them encourage reading for pleasure.
• New books - we constantly update our book selection.
• Open books are displayed throughout continuous provision and classrooms, not just in a reading area.  EYFS provision is planned around high-quality texts to provide greater context and enjoyment of stories and poetry.
• We have inviting reading areas within our classrooms.
• Our well-organised & refurbished library space is where the children love sitting on the beanbags reading a book!
• Story Club at After School Club - Work is always celebrated and displayed in our school hall.
• Paired / Whole school shared reading - children love sharing a book, especially when the older children sit with their younger buddies!
• Library Bus visits where children hear stories and get to choose from the most up to date selections
• Year 5/6 take part in the Spellbinding challenge, reading and voting for their favourite book.

• Parent volunteer / Governors regularly come into our school to listen to readers.
• Interventions are used when needed such as precision teaching, roll and read, ELS interventions and Toe-by-Toe.