What is Phonics?

Phonics teaches children that letters make sounds, which can be blended (read) to make words. Children are taught how to read using our phonics scheme, 'Little Wandle'. Phonics lessons are short, focussed, lessons that take place every day. Each day children will learn a new phoneme (letter sound) and how to write that letter. We even learn how two letters (a diagraph) can make one sound!

Each day, our structured lessons give children the opportunity to practise and revisit sounds they have already been taught, blend (join) sounds together to read words, segment (break down) words to identify sounds for spelling and to learn 'tricky words' (words that cannot be sounded out). 

The phonics scheme we use in school is 'Little Wandle for Letters and Sounds. The scheme has a parent section on their website, which offers lots of helpful tips and advice for supporting your child with learning how to read and write. 

How do you teach reading in school?

Children will read with an adult in school three times a week, before they take home their book to you at home. Our trained and highly skilled staff will work on different skills in each reading session.

1. Decoding - using our phonic knowledge to read words by blending (putting the individual sounds together).

2. Prosody - reading with expression. 

3. Comprehension - understanding what we have read.

The following video shows a class during their first reading lesson of the week.

How can I help with reading at home?

The most important piece of advice we can offer for support in your child at home is to make sure that you use 'pure sounds' when supporting your child to blend (read) or segment (spell). This is very different to how many of us were taught the alphabet at home....but fear not! These helpful video guides show you everything you need to know.

Little Wandle Parent Support

Alphablocks