At Coltishall, phonics is taught using a DfE validated systematic synthetic phonics programme, produced by Little Wandle, that follows the revised Letters and Sounds 2017 progression and coverage.

Phonics teaching is divided into the following phases:

● Phase 1-Reception and pre school- listening to sounds
● Phase 2-Alphabet- sounds of letters
● Phase 3-Digraphs
● Phase 4-Consonant blends
● Phase 5-Digraphs and split digraphs (where they need to be at the end of year 1 to pass the phonics screening test)
● Phase 6-Alternative spelling rules and suffixes

Teachers introduce the graphemes, phonemes and spelling rules to their group and lessons have the following format:

● Revisit and review
● Teach new rule or sound
● Practise ( words to spell, or a pattern to spot)
● Apply - reading and writing sentences using the rule.

In some instances, children who have not passed the phonics screening check by the end of key stage one (Year two) will continue to benefit from direct phonics teaching by joining phonics groups at the appropriate level in key stage one.