How are novice readers supported at St Osmund's?

At St Osmund’s we follow the Read Write Inc phonics scheme called Fresh Start.

What is Fresh Start?

Fresh Start is a structured synthetic phonics programme designed to accelerate reading progress for students aged 9–13+ who require additional support with literacy. The programme helps pupils develop accurate, fluent reading skills and build confidence in their ability to access the wider curriculum.

Fresh Start is particularly beneficial for students who:

• Are not yet reading at an age-appropriate level.
• Have experienced interruptions to their education or have missed periods of schooling.
• Are new arrivals to the school or the UK education system.
• Speak English as an additional language and require support with reading and language development.

Through targeted, systematic instruction, Fresh Start enables students to make rapid progress and become more confident, independent readers.

This intervention (Fresh Start) occurs either 1:1 or in small group 4 times weekly informed by assessment of gaps in their phonic knowledge. Reading books which are phonetically decodable are used and progress is tracked and responded to half-termly.

What else is done to support novice readers at St Osmund's?

Where pupils are working below the age-related expectation in reading and/or struggling to progress, intervention takes the following forms:
• All pupils working below the age-related expectation for reading, read books from our banded reading scheme which correlate to their reading age as well as books of interest from the library. These pupils receive individual reading sessions a minimum of weekly with our teaching assistants and trained volunteers.
• All pupils working below the age-related expectation are supported by the class teacher and/or teaching assistant to access texts and are identified on seating plans so cover staff are aware.
• Pupils in receipt of pupil premium are prioritised for these interventions where appropriate.
• The progress of these pupils is also tracked using the NGRT (new group reading test) twice yearly to ensure that provision is having positive impact.

What is done to support novice writers at St Osmund's?

Key Stage Two pupils have the opportunity for weekly handwriting modelling and practise during morning tutor time.  Handwriting and spelling are a key focus on entry to Year 5 – with a series of lessons taught which focus on key KS1 spelling misconceptions tackled whilst modelling handwriting expectations. We aim for the vast majority of our pupils to be using joined handwriting across the curriculum.  High standards of presentation are expected and demonstrated through a WAGOLL (what a good one looks like) in the front of all subject books which involve extensive writing.  Pupils are asked to rewrite pieces that are not of their highest standard. Pupils who need support can be given highlighted paper or handwriting paper and referred for handwriting intervention. This is identified on entry to year 5 through a baseline assessment which looks at the s factors of their handwriting.  High expectations of handwriting are promoted daily and further emphasised through our handwriting heroes initiative.

Spelling is taught as a discreet lesson once weekly as well as being threaded through morning tutor time. The Sounds and Syllables scheme is used which adheres to the National Curriculum expectations for spelling in terms of both common exception words and spelling patterns to be taught. This is the five-step approach: say it in a spelling voice, snip into syllables, sound out and spell, target tricky spellings and link to similar words. We encourage pupils to adopt this approach when spelling unfamiliar words in all subjects. St Osmund’s staff have added a handwriting and dictation focus to these lessons as well as recall of previous patterns taught through the ‘Do it now’ activity to support mastery of these skills for our pupils. Practise of spellings is reinforced at home through the use of Spelling Shed homework. This is set weekly. High expectations are upheld regarding spelling – up to three incorrect spellings are identified in each extended written piece (except independent writing) and corrected independently in DIRT time. 

For further details on how novice writers are supported, please see the Key Stage Two English curriculum policy.

What is done to support novice mathematicians at St Osmund's?

Information to follow shortly.