What is Rocket Phonics?
At Arden we use a DFE validated Systematic Synthetic Phonics Programme called 'Rocket Phonics' in Reception and Year 1. Rocket Phonics seeks to ensure that every child keeps up and doesn't need to catch up.
- Steady pace and progression of two letter-sounds per week so that knowledge and skills are embedded from the start
- Whole-class mastery style teaching to ensure no child is left behind
- Teaching through original illustrated stories to develop phonics skills and a love of reading
- Consistent daily practice of reading and writing to gradually build children’s confidence
- Flexible yet structured teaching materials that can be adapted to suit the needs of every class
How is phonics taught?
Rocket Phonics is a story-based SSP which focuses on blending sounds together for reading and segmenting sounds to support spelling. Phonics is taught daily. Phonics lessons are taught around a whole class ‘Big Book’ which addresses the focus sounds within a word, sentence and story context, rather than just a sound in isolation. Children read Target Practice Readers in small groups at school to apply their knowledge and practice the full range of reading skills. They take home individual Rocket Phonics reading books which are fully decodable and allow the children to practice reading the specific sounds and Common Exception words they have learnt in school. Children take a book home which they can read with confidence to ensure that they feel a sense of achievement and success, further consolidating their love of reading. In Year 2, the children continue to apply their skills through the Rocket Phonics Next Steps Programme whilst taking home books from the Reading Recovery Book Banded Scheme.