1. Phonics and Reading in Reception at
St Aldhelm’s VA Church 
Primary School
Monday 8th October

2. Purpose of meeting • To share reading expectations in Reception.
• How we teach phonics and reading at St Aldhelm’s.
• How you can help your child at home.
• An opportunity to look at resources and to ask any
questions.

3. Early Years Outcomes Reading 40-60 months
• Continues a rhyming string.
• Hears and says the initial sound in words.
• Can segment the sounds in simple words and blend them together and knows which letters represent some of them.
• Links sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet.
• Begins to read words and simple sentences.
• Uses vocabulary and forms of speech that are increasingly influenced by their experiences of books.
• Enjoys an increasing range of books.
• Knows that information can be retrieved from books and computers.

4. Early Learning Goal Reading
Children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular words. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read.

5. Sounds
Phase 2
Phase 3

6. How do we teach phonics
We introduce the sound the letter makes (we do not teach the letter name yet).
Jolly phonics story – We read and share the story so the sound is put into a context.
Song/actions – We learn a new song and action! Demonstration
We watch a film on Espresso – Using and applying sounds. Demonstration
We play lots of phonics games to consolidate the children’s learning – Just a few of the many…Silly Soup, Box of sound, Crossing the river, robot talk with Metal Mike. (On tables to share)
Computer games – Espresso Demonstrate, Phonics Play –
and Letters and sounds –

7. How can you support at home?
Purple phonics book – The new sounds learnt are included in the purple phonics book along with song words and actions to practise at home. The children will teach you!
Sound cards – Sound cards have been included each week with new set of sounds. You can use these as flash cards to practise letter sounds, to play games such as hide and find the sound, to begin to build VC and CVC words to read.

8. Decodable words - Blending
t a p
s i t
Sound buttons

9. Tricky Words Phase 2 the to no I go into Phase 3 he all she are you be
they was
we my
me her
Phase 4
said were
have there
like one
so little
do when
some out
come what

10. Tricky Word Cards
The children will be taught the tricky words at school in a particular order. The children will bring home a tricky word card to learn focussing on words from each phase.

11. Reading books
The children will read a variety of books. These are chosen to support different skills. Your child will bring home a phonics book where they can use their sounds to read the words. Your child will also bring home a book that will include ‘tricky’ words.

12. Tips for parents

13. Books

15. Sentence of the week

16. Reading Diary
A teacher will listen to your child read on an individual basis once a week. On the days that your child is reading we will write a short comment. Please sign or write a short comment to show you have read with your child at home. Please try to listen to your child read at least three times per week. Reading to your child is equally important.
Your child will also practice their letter sounds and tricky words on an individual basis once a week. The sounds and words that your child is confident in reading will be identified and those that need further practice will be written in the reading diary, so you know how you can support your child at home.
Guided reading sessions will begin after Christmas.

17. Enjoy the reading journey together!
Reading for pleasure!
Read yourself – Opportunities for your child to
see you reading for pleasure and in everyday life.
Join the local library – Choosing books of interest.
Read to your child as often as possible. Sharing a book together is such a special time – Find a quiet time in the day. Read a bedtime story as part of your daily routine.
Above all we need to make sure reading is fun and enjoyable!
Enjoy the reading journey together!

18. ? ? ?
Any questions? ? ? ?