What do I do with children who are joining my class mid-term?

Reception

Include all children in the whole-class lesson! Utilise additional adults, adapting sections of the lesson to meet individual needs and repeated practice opportunities (including pre-teaching) to best support these pupils. 

Children with gaps in Phase 2 should be provided with an additional daily session: 

• Teach GPCs that they do not know using the Phase 2 grapheme plans.
• Teach blending with GPCs the children already know. Use the teacher-led blending scaffolds (super-supported, supported and whisper methods - see the ‘How to’ videos) to help children become blenders.
• Once you have established blending, use the weekly grids in the Phase 2 Additional blending practice.
• Include teacher-led blending in the pre-read of the reading practice session with the wordless books. Use lots of oral blending support as well.
• Get the children reading with the Phase 2 blending practice books as soon as they are blending, so they build confidence.

Year 1

• Use the placement assessment to determine children’s point of security.
• Plan next steps following the advice in the blog, ‘Children with larger gaps in Year 1’.