Little Wandle Letters and Sounds
How We Teach Reading at Woodham Burn Community Primary School
We believe every child can become a confident reader and writer. That’s why we use a well-structured phonics programme called Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised to teach children how to read and spell. Phonics teaching begins in Reception and continues as children move through school, helping them build strong reading foundations.
Children learn how letters and sounds work together (the alphabetic code), so they can read new words and spell with confidence. We also show children how to use these skills during other lessons, helping them apply what they’ve learned in real-life reading and writing.
We place a strong focus on speaking and listening, because these skills are key to becoming successful readers and writers.
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Reading for Understanding and Enjoyment
Reading is a vital life skill, and we want every child to leave our school feeling confident and enjoying books. We help children become readers who can understand what they read and enjoy reading for fun and learning.
To support this, we have a Reading Leader—a specialist who oversees our phonics and early reading programme. They make sure all staff are well-trained and that children get the best possible start in reading.
How We Teach Phonics
- Daily phonics lessons in Reception and Year 1 (starting in Week 2 of the Autumn term)
- Lessons grow from short sessions to 30 minutes a day
- Weekly reviews help children become fluent readers
- Children learn to read and spell using different sound phases (Phase 2–5)
If a child needs extra help, we provide daily Keep-up sessions with trained staff. These sessions follow the same structure as class lessons but are broken down into smaller steps with more repetition.
Children in Year 2 and 3 who haven’t passed the Phonics Screening Check or need more support also receive daily phonics lessons. We use assessments to find gaps and help children catch up quickly.
For children in Years 3 to 6 who still need support, we plan targeted phonics catch-up lessons.
Reading Practice Sessions
Children practise reading in small groups three times a week with a trained adult. These sessions focus on:
- Decoding (sounding out words)
- Prosody (reading with expression and understanding)
- Comprehension (understanding what they read)
Books are carefully matched to each child’s phonics level to help them succeed. In Reception, these sessions begin in Week 4, and children who need extra help get daily blending practice.
Reading at Home
We send home two types of books:
- A decodable book that matches your child’s phonics level—so they can show off their reading skills!
- A reading-for-pleasure book for you to enjoy together
We also share resources and run workshops to help families understand phonics and support reading at home.
Consistency and Progress
All our teachers are trained to teach reading using the same routines, language, and resources. This helps children feel confident and reduces confusion.
We use weekly plans, lesson templates, and videos to make sure every lesson is consistent. Our Reading Leader and senior staff regularly check progress and support teachers to help every child succeed.
How We Assess Reading
We check children’s progress regularly to make sure they’re on track and to spot anyone who needs extra help:
- Daily and weekly checks during lessons
- Formal assessments every six weeks
- Year 1 Phonics Screening Check (children who don’t pass re-sit in Year 2)
- Ongoing assessments for older children who need catch-up support
