Click on the sections below to explore and learn more about the Phonics curriculum at St Bernadette’s.
Our approach to teaching phonics at St. Bernadette’s is through using
‘Supersonic Phonic Friends.’
This programme is a fully systematic, synthetic phonic approach ranging from the simple to the complex spellings of the alphabetic code.
Supported by the Supersonic Phonic friends characters, this approach will ensure children develop confidence and apply each skill to their own reading and writing.
Please visit the website for more information and to meet the characters!
Our Phonics Subject Lead is Mrs Morton.
“I remember learning to read as a child, yet reading is a skill I take for granted as an adult. As phonics lead, I believe reading provides our children with access to the world around them and is the foundation to their independence and confidence. Almost every subject in the curriculum and aspect of real-life requires the ability to read; maths questions, directions and places on a map, instructions, recipes, ingredients, measurements, emails and text messages, the list goes on.
Synthetic phonics teaches children how to recognise individual sounds and blend them together to make words, create phrases or sentences. We strive to provide a range of opportunities and support that ensure all our children can read and write independently. Once children can decode using phonics, they are able to focus on their wider reading skills and develop a love of reading.
As a teacher, I see the difference that reading makes in every subject and how fluent readers find learning new concepts and problem solving much easier. I also see the pleasure that reading brings to the children and how this develops their creativity, vocabulary and knowledge. Which in turn, becomes the platform to their future” Mrs Morton
The Supersonic Phonic Friends characters all have special jobs to do throughout the sessions to support the children’s phonics in different ways. The children remember the characters and enjoy completing Supersonic Phonic Jobs.
The tables below give an overview of what is taught at each stage of Phonics.
The Phonics Screening Check is an assessment completed at the end of Year 1. It takes place in June. It is a Statutory Requirement to carry out the screening check.
It enables schools to identify children who need additional help to improve their reading skills. Children who do not ‘pass’ the check in Year 1 are able to re-take it in Year 2.
The check is a short, simple screening check which consists of a list of 40 words and pseudo words (non-words), which the child reads one-to-one with their class teacher.
Using Supersonic Phonic Friends, children are well used to reading these real and non real words with our character Nonsense Nan. This activity is embedded into our lessons from Reception moving into Year 1 and supports the children to become confident at this skill.
Here are the slides from the Phonics meeting we held in April 2025. The QR codes are on the last slide and are really useful to help your child familiarise themselves with the words.
