Check out this blog if you are a phonics leader, a Reception teacher or a Year 1 teacher to make sure you are fully prepared for the start of next academic year with your SSP.
Alongside this blog we are running an online twilight event on the 25th June.
To book a place head to our events page here:
Download this action plan to use alongside reading this blog.
We want all children to have the best chance of learning to read as quickly as possible. Reading opens up another world for our children!
We need a strong finish this year to enable a strong start next year.
We need a clear shared plan ready to implement on day one of the new academic year.
Priorities for the remainder of this year
What is your focus for SSP teaching?
Does everybody know the SSP progress expectations by the end of the year?
What are your targets for individuals who are behind expected?
What additional daily practice will have the biggest benefit?
Continue to prioritise and protect interventions.
Continue coaching and practice.
Nursery Focus
If you have a Nursery on site prepare the children well for Reception:
Follow your SSP guidance
Model and practice SSP routines
Introduce SSP visuals
Model and practice oral blending
During home visits or new starter information sessions give clear messages to parents and carers around the importance of reading stories and t alking about stories!
End of year assessments
Ensure to follow your SSP guidance.
Complete assessments with enough time to:
Analyse your data
Use your data to plan SSP teaching for September
Share your data and plan with staff
Reflect on this year strategically
What has worked well this year? How will you ensure this continues?
What barriers and challenges have occurred? How can you plan to prevent or overcome these?
Confirm staffing and timetabling
Will there be any changes in staffing?
Think about training for new staff or staff moving a key stage. Ensure this training is complete before September.
Ensure you have a clear, shared plan for staffing and timetabling for your SSP lessons and interventions.
Audit your spaces and resources
Reflection on phonics and reading spaces used:
Do they have the resources and displays needed?
Are these visible to the children?
Are the spaces quiet and calm?
Do you have enough spaces? If not where and how will you create them?
Ensure all spaces are ready to use in week one of September.
Resource audit:
Are your resources organised effectively?
Are there additional resources required for next year?
Reception in September
Follow your SSP guidance for teaching phonics from the start.
Start in week one - do not wait! Be prepared for staggered if needed.
Ensure all Reception staff know the focus sounds for each week and progress expectations for Autumn 1.
Create and implement classroom systems to:
Track children’s progress week by week
Identify pupils falling behind straight away
Don't underestimate the power of embedding extra daily practice from the start – repetition is key!
A strong start in Year one is just as important
Complete and analyse this year’s Reception end of year assessments with enough time to:
Plan teaching and train staff
Prepare resources
Plan interventions to start from week 1
Send home reading materials for parents to use over the Summer Holidays
Informing parents throughout the year
Plan how you will inform parents regularly on next steps for their children's reading journey. Teach the parents! Â Â Â Â For example a reception plan could be:
Autumn 1 – oral blending and sounds
Autumn 2 – sounds progress and blending
Spring 1 – sounds progress and word reading
Spring 2 – sounds progress and word reading fluency
Summer 1 – sounds progress and storybooks
Summer 2 – storybook fluency
This might be in the form of information sessions, workshops, short videos.
What additional parent support will you offer for those whose children are behind expected?
I hope this blog has provided you with some useful information and ideas to ensure that you are fully prepared for making a strong start in September.
For more information about us and the support we offer please go to English Hubs - St Wilfrid's English Hub (stwenglishhub.co.uk)