Phonics

At Minster-in-Sheppey Primary School, our vision is for every child to be the best they can be – best learner, best friend, and best citizen.

Intent

At Minster Primary School, we are passionate about ensuring that every child becomes a confident, fluent reader and writer. We recognise that early reading is the cornerstone of academic success and lifelong learning. Aligned with the DfE Reading Framework (2023), we prioritise decoding, fluency, and reading for pleasure from the earliest stages.

To support this, we implement Monster Phonics—a DfE-validated systematic synthetic phonics programme—across our Early Years and Key Stage 1 settings.

Monster Phonics is distinctive in its multisensory approach, using colour-coding, character cues, and engaging visuals to make phonics instruction accessible, inclusive, and memorable for all learners. This method not only supports decoding skills but also builds enthusiasm and enjoyment around learning to read. We are committed to fostering strong early reading foundations that empower pupils to thrive across the curriculum and beyond.

Implementation

Nursery Programme

Our nursery phonics provision is not about introducing formal reading too early—it is about laying the vital foundations that ensure children are ready to thrive when they begin phonics instruction in Reception.

Based on ‘Phase 1’ phonics, the Monster Phonics Nursery Programme supports early literacy by fostering rich,engaging learning experiences. Its flexible approach ensures these experiences are developmentally appropriate and play based. It is in line with Development Matters, Birth to 5 Matters, and the EYFS statutory framework, and is part of our broader commitment to early language and literacy development.

The programme is designed to:

Develop children’s phonological and phonemic awareness, including rhyme, alliteration, syllable segmentation, and sound identification.

Nurture a love of stories and rhymes.

Boost confidence in speaking and the ability to express ideas clearly.

Improve listening skills and conversational turn-taking, essential for classroom readiness.

Key features of our implementation include:

Providing activities that build focused listening and attention, including oral blending and sound discrimination.

Prioritising rich, high-quality vocabulary and back-and-forth conversational opportunities across all areas of provision.

Sharing high-quality, stories, nursery rhymes and action rhymes to support rhythm, memory, and language play.

By establishing these early foundations, we ensure that children are well prepared to begin learning grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs) and blending in Reception. Research consistently shows that strong phonologicaland phonemic awareness in the early years are among the strongest predictors of future reading success. Through this carefully structured but playful approach, we help close learning gaps before they appear, giving every child the opportunity to succeed from the very start.

Implementation

Key Stage 1 Programme

Daily Teaching

Phonics is taught with full fidelity to the Monster Phonics progression, ensuring clarity, consistency, and secure development for all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). By following the programme’s carefully sequenced structure, we provide every child with the best possible start in reading.

Daily Monster Phonics lessons are delivered from Reception through to Year 2, using a highly structured and systematic synthetic phonics approach. This consistent delivery creates a predictable and secure learning environment, which promotes pupil confidence, engagement, and success.