Phonics and Spelling at Caledonia

At our school, we use a structured and progressive approach to teaching phonics and spelling to ensure all children develop strong literacy foundations.

Our Phonics & Spelling Programmes

In the early years (Infants), we use Monster Phonics. This is a multi-sensory phonics programme that uses colour-coded characters to represent different sounds. It supports children in making strong links between letters and sounds in a fun, engaging, and memorable way.

As children progress into the middle and upper stages, we transition to North Lanarkshire Active Literacy. This programme builds on early phonics knowledge and focuses on developing spelling, reading, and writing skills through a structured and active approach. It supports learners in applying their phonics knowledge across different contexts.

Why We Chose These Approaches

We have carefully selected these programmes to provide a clear progression in literacy learning:

• Consistency and progression: Both approaches complement each other, ensuring a smooth transition from early phonics into more complex spelling and literacy skills.
• Active and engaging learning: Children learn best when they are actively involved, and both programmes promote participation through games, discussion, and practical activities.
• Inclusive practice: The multi-sensory nature of both programmes supports a wide range of learners, including those who may require additional support.
• Strong evidence base: Both programmes are widely used and support the development of confident, independent readers and writers.

What Your Child Can Expect

A typical phonics or spelling lesson in our school will include:

• Revisiting and practising previously learned sounds or spelling patterns
• Explicit teaching of a new sound, rule, or pattern
• Active tasks such as word building, games, and partner work
• Reading and writing opportunities to apply new learning
• Opportunities for discussion to develop understanding and vocabulary

Lessons are designed to be interactive, engaging, and supportive, helping children to build confidence and independence in their literacy skills.

Reading at Caledonia

At our school, we are committed to developing confident, fluent readers who enjoy reading and can understand and engage with a wide range of texts.

Our Reading Resources

We use a carefully selected range of reading programmes and resources to support children at every stage of their reading journey, including:

• Monster Phonics Readers
• Dandelion Readers and Launchers
• Songbirds Phonics
• Rapid Readers
• Reading Boxes
• Comprehension Express
• Totem and Talisman

These resources provide a balance of decodable texts, which align closely with our phonics teaching, alongside books that support the development of reading strategies and comprehension skills.

Why We Use a Range of Texts

We recognise that children need different types of reading experiences to become successful readers. Our approach ensures that:

• Decodable books allow children to practise and apply the sounds they are learning in phonics, building accuracy and confidence
• Structured reading schemes support progression in fluency and expression
• Comprehension-focused resources help children develop skills such as predicting, questioning, summarising, and making connections
• A variety of texts keeps children engaged and fosters a love of reading

By combining these approaches, we ensure children are supported in both learning to read and reading to learn.

What Your Child Can Expect

A typical reading session in our school may include:

• Group or individual reading using appropriately levelled texts
• Opportunities to practise phonics skills through decodable books
• Explicit teaching of reading strategies, such as sounding out unfamiliar words, re-reading, and using context clues
• Discussion and questioning to develop understanding of the text
• Comprehension activities focusing on key skills like predicting, clarifying, and summarising
• Opportunities to share opinions and develop a love of storytelling

Our reading lessons are designed to be supportive, engaging, and progressive, helping every child to build confidence, fluency, and a deeper understanding of what they read.

Writing at Our School

At our school, we aim to develop confident, creative writers who can express their ideas clearly across a range of contexts and genres.

Our Writing Approaches

In the early years (Infants), we use Drawing Club, supported by Monster Phonics strategies. Drawing Club is a highly engaging, story-based approach where children develop ideas through talk, drawing, and imaginative play before moving into writing. This helps build confidence, creativity, and early sentence structure, while Monster Phonics supports accurate spelling through phonics.

As children move into the middle and upper stages, we use a combination of:

• CYPIC (Check Your Punctuation, Interesting words, Connectives)
• Write On Track
• Routes Through Writing
• Tools for Writing

These approaches work together to provide a structured and progressive framework for teaching writing across a variety of genres.

Why We Use These Approaches

We have carefully chosen these approaches to ensure children develop both creativity and technical accuracy in their writing:

• Clear progression: From early mark-making and sentence building to extended, structured pieces of writing
• Creativity and engagement: Drawing Club fosters imagination, while genre-based approaches develop purpose and audience awareness
• Consistency in skills: Strategies like CYPIC and Tools for Writing give children a clear structure to improve and edit their work
• Focus on genre: Routes Through Writing supports children in understanding different text types and writing for a range of purposes
• Inclusive and supportive: Multi-sensory and scaffolded approaches support a wide range of learners

What Your Child Can Expect

A typical writing lesson in our school may include:

• Stimulus or context for writing, such as a story, video, or discussion
• Planning and idea generation, often through talk, drawing, or shared activities
• Explicit teaching of writing skills, such as sentence structure, punctuation, and vocabulary
• Modelled and shared writing to demonstrate expectations
• Independent writing opportunities across a range of genres
• Editing and improving work using strategies like CYPIC and Tools for Writing
• Opportunities to share and celebrate writing

Writing lessons are designed to be engaging, structured, and supportive, helping children to build confidence, stamina, and pride in their work.

Listening and Talking at Our School

At our school, we recognise that strong listening and talking skills are essential for learning, communication, and building confidence. We provide regular opportunities for children to develop these skills across all areas of the curriculum.

Our Approaches

We use a combination of:

• Word Aware strategies to develop vocabulary and understanding of language
• Voice 21 Oracy approaches to explicitly teach speaking and listening skills

These approaches are embedded across the school day, ensuring that listening and talking are consistently developed in meaningful and engaging contexts.

Why We Use These Approaches

We have chosen these approaches to support all learners in becoming confident communicators:

• Vocabulary development: Word Aware supports children in understanding and using a wide range of words, which is key to success in reading, writing, and learning across the curriculum
• Structured talk opportunities: Voice 21 provides clear frameworks for discussion, helping children to express ideas, justify opinions, and build on the contributions of others
• Confidence building: Regular opportunities to talk in a supportive environment help children develop confidence and self-esteem
• Inclusive practice: Strategies support all learners, including those who benefit from additional structure or vocabulary support

What Your Child Can Expect

A typical listening and talking experience in our school may include:

• Explicit teaching of new vocabulary and opportunities to use it in context
• Structured discussion activities, such as partner talk, group work, and class debates
• Opportunities to explain thinking and answer questions in full sentences
• Active listening tasks, where children are encouraged to respond, build on ideas, and ask questions
• Presenting to others, both informally and in more structured contexts
• Supportive frameworks and prompts to help children organise their ideas

Listening and talking opportunities are built into daily learning, helping children to become confident speakers, attentive listeners, and effective communicators.