What is phonics?

Phonics is a way of teaching children to read. They are taught how to:

• Recognise the sounds that each individual letter makes
• Identify the sounds that different combinations of letters make e.g. sh and oo
• Blend these sounds together from left to right to make a word.

Children can then use this knowledge to segment and blend new words that they hear or see.

Currently in school we use the Little Wandle Revised Letters and Sounds programme. The Little Wandle website has lots of resources to show you what we are teaching in school and will help you support your child at home. Please follow this link to Little Wandle.

Why phonics?

Research shows that when phonics is taught in a structured way – starting with the easiest sounds and progressing through to the most complex – it is the most effective way of teaching young children to read.

All children are individuals and develop at different rates. A phonics screening check at the end of Year One ensures that teachers understand which children need extra help with phonic decoding.