Isle of White, UK: 'Year 1 phonics project puts island children above national average'

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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Isle of White, UK: 'Year 1 phonics project puts island children above national average'

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The worry is in the UK scenario that teachers and officials consider results around the national average (for 2016, 2017, 2018) of around 81% reaching or exceeding the 32 out of 40 benchmark in the statutory Year One Phonics Screening Check as being good enough.

This still means that around 6 out of every 30 children in a typical class are not reaching or exceeding the benchmark.

There are around 1,000 schools every year in England in which 94% to 100% of the children reach or exceed the benchmark. This needs to be the aspiration of all mainstream schools regardless of intake and region.

I was expecting to read about much higher results in the Isle of White according to the headlines than is the reality.

Well done teachers in the Isle of White for making improvements but do carry on evaluating your phonics provision to get much higher results than thus far:

https://iwobserver.co.uk/2018/08/29/yea ... l-average/
Year 1 ‘phonics’ project puts Island children above national average

By Isle of Wight Observer - August 29, 2018
Reading skills in Year 1 at Island primary schools have been driven up thanks to a special new project.

It places the Island’s youngest primary schoolchildren above the national average.

The Isle of Wight Council-led Year 1 ‘phonics’ programme – which started last November – focused on 18 primary schools where a ‘phonics check’ was considered a priority.
The number of children who met the national standard rose by 11 per cent, raising the overall average figure for the Island, from 41 primary schools, by five per cent.

The Isle of Wight percentage of those meeting the national standard is now at 81.8 per cent.

The national average for 2017, the latest available figure, is 81 per cent.

Councillor Paul Brading, Cabinet member for children’s services, skills and education, said: “This is really good news for schools and parents.

“Their children are on track to become confident and fluent readers who can enjoy reading for pleasure and for learning.

“I am delighted that schools have responded so positively to the support and challenge offered to achieve this brilliant improvement.”

The phonics screening check is used to ensure all children in Year 1 make sufficient progress with their phonics skills to read words.

Phonics is a method for teaching reading and writing of the English language by developing awareness of the link between sounds and spelling patterns.
Sadly, the lower previous results is worrying news and it certainly looks like the teachers in the Isle of White could do with some additional CPD (Continuing Professional Development) to support them in their foundational literacy provision.

But, thank goodness for the national phonics check which helps everyone to appreciate the notion of the effectiveness of teachers' phonics provision. Without the check, so many teachers can carry on 'as usual' in blissful ignorance of whether they are teaching the technical knowledge and skills of reading effectively or not for the benefit of ALL the children.
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