Literacy Standards for Reception
Speaking and listening
I can speak aloud to friends, in a group and to an adult. I can talk about things that interest me
including stories.
I can listen whilst others are speaking and wait for my turn to talk. I can listen and follow simple
instructions.
I can ask and answer questions appropriately during carpet time / circle time. I can use talk during
role play activities.
I can use talk to deepen my understanding.
Reading (word/comprehension)
I can read all Reception key words and the majority of key words for Y1. I can show an awareness of
full stops when reading aloud.
I can blend and segment unfamiliar words.
I can talk about a favourite story, poem or character. I can answer simple questions about a familiar
story. I can make simple predictions about a text.
I can use a simple word bank.
I can read fiction, non-­­fiction and poetry appropriate for my phonic level. I can retell key points in
a familiar story.
I can join in during whole class retelling of a story.
Writing
I can write three simple sentences.
I can show an awareness of full stops, capital letters and finger spaces. I can say a sentence, write
and read it back to check it makes sense.
I can begin to write a sentence using the connectives ‘and’ or ‘but’
I can write simple texts such as names, labels, captions, lists, diagrams and messages.
Grammar
I can write simple sentences using full stops, capital letters and finger spaces. I can use simple
connectives to join two simple sentences.
I can use prepositions correctly in my speech (e.g. up, down, in, into, out, to, onto).
I am familiar with determiners and use them correctly in my speech (e.g. the, a, my, your, an, this,
that, his, her, their, some, all).
I can use adjectives to describe nouns (e.g. old, little, big, small quiet).
Handwriting
I can hold a pencil correctly, sit up correctly and steady my work. I am beginning to form all letters
and numbers (0-­­9) correctly.
I am beginning to write on the line.
My teacher and I can read what I’ve written.
Phonics/Spelling
At Coldfall we use two main phonics schemes, Jolly Phonics and RML phonics as our prime means of
teaching children in the early stages of reading and writing. Both phonic schemes take a multisensory approach to learning phonics. The strategy combines songs and actions as a way for
children learning all 44 phonemes (smallest unit of sound) and the children really are enjoying this
approach. Phonemes can be made of 1/2/3 letters. For example: a, ay, igh.
Green words/Easy words
These are words that can be sounded out using phonological knowledge, for example: p-e-g, p-eep, l-igh-t. Children are taught to recognise and read the sounds and use this knowledge to then
read whole words. This progresses to more complex sounds as the children move through
Reception to year 1 and 2.
Red words/Key words
‘Red words or key words’ are words that can’t be sounded out. Many are short, common words; for
example ‘the’ or ‘some’, but they can be longer words like ‘because’. To read key words children
need to develop a sight vocabulary. They either know these words or they don’t
Terminology
Introduce: finger spaces, letter, word, sentence, full stops, capital letters