Montgomerie Primary School – Our Approach to Phonics
At Montgomerie Primary School, we believe that phonics is the foundation of confident communication. It unlocks the world of reading and writing, helping children become fluent readers and expressive writers. Our motto, “We are communicators!”, reflects our commitment to nurturing these essential skills from the very start.
Why We Teach Phonics
Phonics teaches children how letters and sounds work together to form words. It’s a vital part of early education because it:
- Builds strong reading and spelling skills.
- Helps children decode unfamiliar words independently.
- Supports lifelong learning and a love of reading.
We follow the Montgomerie Letters and Sounds progression, a carefully structured programme that ensures consistency and high-quality teaching across all year groups.
How We Teach Phonics
Phonics is taught daily through lively, engaging sessions that follow a clear sequence:
- Listen, recognise, build, read, and write using phonemes and graphemes.
- Review prior learning and introduce new sounds and sight words.
- Practise blending and segmenting skills in fun and meaningful ways.
- Apply learning through reading and writing activities.
Children also take home phonically decodable books matched to their learning, helping bridge school and home learning.
Our classrooms and communal areas are rich in resources like spelling mats and phonics posters, supporting children to apply their skills independently throughout the day.
What We Hope Children Will Achieve
By the time children leave Montgomerie Primary School, we aim for them to:
- Be confident readers who can decode and blend words fluently.
- Use phonics knowledge to support spelling and writing.
- Understand digraphs, trigraphs, and spelling patterns.
- Apply their reading and writing skills across the curriculum and in real-life situations.
- Feel proud of their progress and celebrate their success.
We regularly assess children’s progress and provide additional support where needed, ensuring every child is challenged and supported to reach their full potential.
Together, with your support at home, we can help your child become a skilled and enthusiastic communicator.
