Phonics

Phonics at Tower Hill Community Primary School: Introducing Rocket Phonics!

At Tower Hill Community Primary School, we are committed to ensuring every child develops into a confident and fluent reader and writer. To achieve this, we follow Rocket Phonics, a comprehensive and engaging Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme.

What is Phonics?

Phonics is a method of teaching children to read and write by linking sounds (phonemes) to the symbols that represent them (graphemes - the written letters or groups of letters).

• It teaches children to decode (read) words by blending the sounds together.

• It teaches children to encode (spell) words by segmenting the word into its individual sounds and writing the corresponding letters.

This fundamental skill is the foundation for early literacy and helps children to sound out new or unfamiliar words rather than guessing.

What is Rocket Phonics?

Rocket Phonics is a fully resourced, systematic synthetic phonics programme that provides a consistent and rigorous approach to teaching reading and spelling. It is designed to be taught daily, with a clear progression from the very first sounds to more complex spelling patterns.

Key Features of the Programme:

• Systematic and Explicit: Sounds and their corresponding letters are taught in a clear, set order, building on previous learning. The lessons are explicit, meaning that the teacher provides precise instructions and modelling.

• Decodable Reading Books: A fully matched series of exciting, illustrated reading books are used to ensure children only practise the sounds and 'Common Exception Words' (tricky words) they have already been taught. This helps to build early reading confidence and fluency.

• Engaging Resources: Rocket Phonics uses a combination of digital and printed resources, including large 'Big Books' to introduce new sounds in the context of captivating stories, flashcards, and pupil workbooks for practice.

• Daily, Structured Lessons: Phonics lessons are taught daily and follow a consistent structure to embed knowledge and skills:

  • Review: Quickly revisit previously taught sounds and words.

  • Teach: Introduce the new letter-sound correspondence.

  • Practice: Engage in stimulating activities to read and write words using the new sound.

  • Apply: Consolidate skills by reading sentences and/or a decodable story and applying their new knowledge to writing.

• Reading and Writing are Linked: The programme focuses equally on blending for reading and segmenting for writing/spelling, ensuring children develop both critical skills.

How You Can Support Your Child at Home

Your support at home is invaluable to your child’s reading journey.

1. Read Their Decodable Book: Your child will regularly bring home a Rocket Phonics reading book. Please ensure they read this book to you multiple times during the week.

   • The first read can focus on accuracy (sounding out the words).

   • Subsequent reads should focus on fluency and expression.

2. Use the Online Platform (where applicable): Your child may have access to the Rocket Phonics online platform. Please encourage them to read the e-books and complete any assigned activities.

3. Encourage Phonics Games: Use the sound mats or flashcards provided by the school to practise saying the sounds clearly and quickly.

4. Read for Pleasure: Share and read other books together! Reading a variety of books for enjoyment is key to developing a lifelong love of reading.

If you have any questions about Rocket Phonics or how to best support your child's reading, please do not hesitate to speak to your child's class teacher.