High-Quality Instruction
Building Strong Foundations for All Learners
All pupils receive structured, high-quality instruction through the Jolly Phonics programme (Steps 1, 2 and 3) as part of their daily classroom learning. This first tier provides every child with a strong foundation in reading and writing by introducing letter sounds in a systematic, engaging and multisensory way. At this level, teaching is delivered to the whole class and includes repetition, daily review and frequent opportunities to practise and apply new skills throughout the day.
Teaching with fidelity through the Jolly Phonics programme
Embed repetition and daily review in every session
Cross-curricular integration of phonics throughout the school day
Integrate phonics across the school day through quick routines and playful opportunities
Build confidence and automaticity through regular oral, visual and written recall
Fun, low-prep station activities that weave extra practice into daily routines and keep learning active.
Build repetition into natural classroom transitions to keep phonics active and engaging – without adding extra lesson time. Short, frequent reviews strengthen recall and fluency, and help pupils see phonics as part of everything they do throughout the school day.
Morning Register:
Write five letter sounds on the board, each with a number beside it. As you call the register, pupils choose a number, say the matching letter sound, and perform its action. This gives every pupil a chance to practise recently taught sounds and hear others producing them accurately. It’s a lively, low-prep routine that strengthens recall first thing in the morning.
After Lunch or Break:
As pupils line up, say a sound aloud and ask those whose names begin with that sound to step forward. If a child’s name begins with an untaught sound, offer an example word instead – e.g. “Does the word cat begin with the /k/ sound? If it does, join the line!” This playful quick-fire game keeps pupils alert and gives you a snapshot of who recognises the target sounds confidently.
End-of-Day Pack-Up:
Keep engagement high while pupils tidy by asking a few flashcard questions or running a fast “sound and action” challenge. This turns a potentially chaotic transition into a focused few minutes of review – and sends pupils home having practised the day’s learning once more.
Carpet Time Transition:
Display three or four words from the morning lesson on the board. Pupils take turns to say each sound, then blend to read the whole word. Use a pointer or your finger to track the letters as the class says them aloud - this visual cue supports accuracy and fluency.
Quick Reviews:
Each day, choose two or three pupils to be “Sound Leaders.” They hold up flashcards for the class to say together, leading a short whole-class review. This can happen right after lunch, during a quick register, or at the end of the day while pupils sit on the carpet. As the class participates, you can quietly pull aside one or two pupils who need extra one-to-one reinforcement on specific letter sounds.
