Literacy

The main focus in Nursery is being a 'talk-a-lot, read-a-lot' setting. Reading stories, singing and rhymes are incorporated throughout the day and help to develop language. Quality talk is prioritised and a communication-friendly environment enables children to develop important communication and language skills. Phase 1 of a phonics teaching programme is used to support the language and literacy of our Nursery children before moving onto the Read, Write, Inc programme. 

Children develop their pre-phonics skills by exploring environmental sounds,  musical instruments, body percussion, rhythm and rhyme, voice sounds and alliteration.

In the summer term, we move on to following the Read Write Inc programme of phonics to develop awareness of letter sounds. This focusses primarily on using 'Fred Talk' to promote oral blending. 

We enjoy many books throughout our day, giving children opportunities to think about how stories are structured, to make predictions about what might happen next and to retell and act out stories.

Here at Midfield, we understand the progression of skills which lead to writing; so activities to build both gross and fine motor skills are always available, such as digging in the mud area, daily dough disco and large scale mark-making with paints and chalks outside.