At Torrisholme Primary we are passionate about supporting children to be able to read with fluency and automaticity. We follow a validated phonics scheme called Essential Letters and Sounds. Essential Letters and Sounds is a synthetic systematic phonics (SSP) programme developed for teachers by teachers. 

Supporting your child with reading at home

Reception and Year 1 

At Torrisholme, we ensure that our home reading phonics books are closely matched to children’s developing phonic knowledge. Each Monday your child will bring home a phonics book to read. It is essential that children re-read their books to develop their fluency and 'orthagraphic map'. 

Each Friday your child will also bring home a shared reader book. There may be some words in these books that your child may not recognise, as they have not yet come across it in their phonics lessons. If this happens – please just tell your child the word. These books could be read by your child, you could read a page each or you could read it to your child and talk about the story together. You will keep this at home over the weekend and return it to school on the Monday, ready to receive another phonics book for the week.

Year 2 onwards

For the vast majority of children, they will be secure within Phase 5 Phonics by the end of the Summer term in Year 1. Once children are secure with their application of the phonics content and are decoding effortlessly, they will move to the school’s colour banded reading scheme. Teachers will assess the children regularly and children will progress through the scheme according to both their word reading skills and their comprehension.

Children's voice 

"Phonics helps us in all subjects." 

Year 2 child

"I love phonics!"

Reception child

"I love learning new sounds."

Reception child

"Phonics is learning the codes so that we can read and write."

Year 1 child

"I love learning Harder and Read and Spell Words"

Reception child

"I like reading a book with my partner"

Year 1 child