Phonics Curriculum Rationale
At Rosebrook Primary School, we have carefully selected the Bug Club Phonics programme as the foundation for our phonics curriculum. This decision was made after a thorough evaluation of the available options, taking into account the specific needs and context of our school community.
The Bug Club Phonics programme aligns seamlessly with the requirements of the National Curriculum, providing a structured and systematic approach to teaching phonics. It is a DfE-validated scheme, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of quality and effectiveness. Furthermore, our decision to adopt Bug Club Phonics was informed by the positive experiences of another local school, where we witnessed the programme’s success in helping pupils develop strong reading skills.
Our school context, with a significant proportion of pupils entering Nursery and Reception below age-related expectations in communication and literacy, necessitates a robust and comprehensive phonics programme. Bug Club Phonics is well-suited to address the needs of our diverse learners, offering a whole-class approach that is not reliant on a high level of adult support. This aligns with our school’s improvement priorities, which include a focus on improving reading comprehension standards and addressing the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils.
Whole School Aims
The implementation of the Bug Club Phonics programme is firmly rooted in Rosebrook Primary School’s overarching vision and values. Our DREAM core values – Determination, Respect, Enthusiasm, Ambition, and Growth Mindset – are seamlessly woven into the delivery of this curriculum, as we strive to instil these qualities in our pupils and empower them to become successful, lifelong learners.
Our school’s guiding principle, “We can be whatever we dream,” is reflected in the aspirational nature of the Bug Club Phonics programme. By providing a structured and engaging approach to teaching phonics, we aim to equip our pupils with the foundational skills necessary to access the wider curriculum and achieve their full potential.
Subject Vision
At Rosebrook Primary School, we believe that a strong foundation in phonics is crucial for our pupils’ academic and personal development. The teaching of phonics is not merely a standalone subject, but a vital component that underpins the entire curriculum. By ensuring that our pupils master the essential skills of decoding and word recognition, we are empowering them to become confident and competent readers, writers, and communicators.
Our vision for the phonics curriculum is to cultivate a love of reading and language in our pupils, fostering their curiosity and enthusiasm for the written word. Through the systematic and engaging approach of Bug Club Phonics, we aim to build a solid foundation of phonics knowledge that will enable our pupils to access the broader curriculum with confidence and success.
Communication with Stakeholders
To ensure the successful implementation of the Bug Club Phonics programme, we will engage in clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders, including parents, carers, and the wider community. This will involve:
Hosting informative workshops and information sessions for parents and carers, where we will explain the importance of phonics, the structure and content of the Bug Club Phonics programme, and how they can support their children’s learning at home.
- Regularly updating our school website and social media channels with resources, guidance, and updates on the progress of the phonics curriculum, ensuring that all stakeholders are informed and engaged.
- Fostering strong partnerships with local early years settings and feeder schools to ensure a seamless transition for our pupils, with a shared understanding of the phonics expectations and progression.
- Providing ongoing professional development opportunities for our teaching staff, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver the Bug Club Phonics programme effectively.
Addressing Inspection Feedback
The implementation of the Bug Club Phonics programme directly addresses the key areas for improvement identified in the last Ofsted inspection in 2019. By placing a strong emphasis on the teaching of early reading skills, we are addressing the inspectors’ observation that “many children start school with weaker language skills than would be expected.”
Furthermore, the structured and systematic approach of Bug Club Phonics aligns with the inspectors’ recommendation to ensure that “the teaching of phonics (letters and sounds they represent) is well structured.” The programme’s focus on providing “extra support for pupils who need to catch up in their reading” also directly responds to the inspection feedback.
By adopting the Bug Club Phonics programme, we are confident that we will be able to improve the reading outcomes for all our pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and address the attainment gap identified in the inspection report.