Phonics

‘Learning God’s way’ 

At St Mary's C of E Primary School we follow the Read Write Inc. phonics programme. Through the programme the children learn the 40+ phonemes which includes the alternative pronunciation of sounds. The children become skilled at blending for reading and segmenting to aid spelling as well as learning to read and spell the common exception words. You will hear them 'Fred talk' (sound out) words to read and use their 'Fred fingers' to segment the sounds in a word to spell.

Executive function in Phonics

Executive function skills, such as working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, are crucial for phonics because they help a learner decode words, maintain focus, and apply strategies when reading unfamiliary words. These skills enable a person to manage the task of reading, from focusing on decoding to monitoring comprehension and self-correcting errors.

Phonics Parent Information

Please find below a link to a PDF of the presentation given at the RWI Phonics Meeting on 24th  September 2025 and PDFs of the Reception and KS1 Reading at Home booklets that were sent home at the beginning of the academic year. You will also find some useful film clip links below to help you support your child at home.