What is phonics?

Phonics is a way of teaching children how to read and write. It helps children hear, identify and use different sounds that distinguish one word from another in the English language. Teaching children to blend the sounds of letters together helps them decode unfamiliar or unknown words by sounding them out. 

What materials do you use?

We use a variety of resources throughout the school to teach phonics, but Success for All phonics is the scheme  used as the main phonic system. This is a programme which teaches the phonemes using pictorial clues, rhymes and action. This multi-sensory approach helps children to embed the recognition, decoding and blending skills necessary for reading and writing.

This is a new scheme for Sepetmber 2026 and new materials for parents will be uploaded to this page. 

How can we find out more to support our child?

Parents of Foundation Stage children are invited to a short meeting at the start of the year, to explain the teaching of phonics, so they can support and understand their child’s learning. Materials will be provided to support you as you help your child at home.

When will they start to learn phonics?

Within the first few weeks of school the children will start to learn the first set of phonemes on a daily basis. This is a short 20 - 30 minute minute lesson. The session is active, multi-sensory, fast paced and fun, with an opportunity to practice blending, segmenting and writing phonemes. During this session the children are also taught to read then write ‘tricky words’, which cannot be decoded using phonics.

What happens after their Foundation Year?

The children in Key Stage One and Key Stage Two continue to be taught phonics and/or spelling patterns every morning. These 20 - 30 minute sessions allow the children to access phonics or spellings at their own level. The children are taught as year groups.  There is an assessment a week prior to the end of each half term, allowing for any interventions or catch up in the final week.  

Do you only use one programme?

We primarily use Success for all Phonics and Spelling Shed for Key Stage 2.  However,  a different approach is sometimes needed for individual children. These will be provided in consultation with the SENCO.  

Is phonics only referred to during the Phonics and Spelling lesson?

In each classroom, there is a wealth of visual phonic resources which the children are encouraged to access to support their own reading and writing. Phonics and spelling patterns are integral to the teaching of reading and writing and will be referred to and taught in English lessons, Guided Reading and the wider curriculum.