“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark."

Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

Hello, I am Mrs Middlebrook and I am the Phonics leader here at Hayfield Lane Primary School.  At Hayfield Lane we pride ourselves on fully appreciating the importance of reading, as it enables children to be successful, independent learners in all aspects of the curriculum.  

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At Hayfield Lane the children from Nursery to Year 2 take part in regular discrete Phonics sessions which are aligned to the National Curriculum and Reading Framework.  We follow the structure of Read, Write, Inc. to teach children the phonic skills required to be able to blend and read words fluently.  This enables children to develop their reading skills at an appropriate pace, matched closely to their reading skills whilst using a variety of resources to support their learning. 

In Foundation 1 children are taught a sound a week from the Read Write Inc scheme.  By the Summer Term of Nursery children begin taking home a picture book to share with parents to develop vocabulary and share story time with their parents.

From Foundation 2 children then take reading books home that are thematically linked to their RWI classroom story book.  These provide the opportunity to review the sounds taught within their RWI lesson and phonetically decodable words linked to their corresponding classroom storybook.

Children also have access to a tightly-structured reading programme, based on colour bands to match each child’s ability to encourage children to read for pleasure with parents.  We hear children read independently on a regular basis, and as part of our ‘Guided Reading’ sessions. In this way, we can closely monitor each child’s vital comprehension skills.  Each classroom also has a broad range of ‘Books for Pleasure’, and we actively encourage all children to access these books at every opportunity.

Any children who have not met the government standardised expectations in Phonics by the end of Year 2 continue the development of their early reading skills through a bespoke reading package that is delivered by their Class Teachers and a team of support staff.  Their progress continues to be monitored at each assessment point by the Phonics Lead.