A Midsomer Norton primary school has announced that all of its Year 1 students have passed the national phonics screening test.

St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School, based in Midsomer Norton, say that the achievement “reflects the hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm of both our pupils and staff.”

The school says it looks to empower its children to apply their phonics knowledge confidently in their independent writing.

One of the ways they make phonics engaging for the pupils is through ‘Grandma Fantastic’ — a puppet who helps bring language and vocabulary to life for the children.

Grandma Fantastic is designed to help children understand how to use sounds and new words in context, supporting them in becoming expressive, capable writers.