Phonics and Early Reading

At our school we are committed to giving every child the strongest possible start in learning to read. We use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a systematic, synthetic phonics programme that is grounded in decades of evidence about how children learn to read most effectively.

Why Phonics Matters

Research consistently shows that children become confident, fluent readers when they are taught to:

1. Decode (sound out words)

Children first learn that letters represent sounds (phonemes) and that these sounds can be blended together to read words. This early decoding skill is essential; the work of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) highlight that secure decoding is the foundation for all later reading success.

2. Develop Fluency

Once children can decode accurately, they need repeated practice to read with increasing speed, accuracy and expression. Fluent reading frees up cognitive space, allowing children to focus on understanding what they read rather than working out each word.

3. Build Comprehension

Strong comprehension grows when children can read fluently and confidently. Research shows that comprehension depends on both decoding and language understanding. By securing phonics early, children are better able to access rich texts, develop vocabulary and make meaning from what they read.

How Little Wandle Supports This Journey

Daily Phonics Teaching

Children in the early years and Key Stage 1 take part in daily phonics lessons following the Little Wandle progression. Each week, they learn new phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (the letters that represent those sounds).

Matched Reading Books

These books are carefully matched to your child’s current stage so they can apply their new knowledge successfully and build confidence. Children will read their book three times in school before bringing home. This is to ensure children feel successful and can continue reading at home confidently to practice their fluency.

Moving into Year 2 and Beyond

In Year 2, children continue their reading journey using the Little Wandle Fluency programme. These books help bridge the gap between early phonics and the more complex reading demands of Key Stage 2. They support children to:

• Read with increasing automaticity
• develop phrasing and expression
• prepare for whole‑class reading lessons from Year 3 onwards

This creates a smooth, well‑supported transition into more advanced reading.

Support for Parents

To help families support reading at home:

The school provides regular workshops for parents and carers to share how phonics and early reading is taught. Please see the attachments below for further information.

The Little Wandle Letters and Sounds website also provides videos demonstrating how to pronounce each sound correctly and offers further guidance for parents. Please visit https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/resources/for-parents/

Optional resources such as flashcards and workbooks are available from Amazon, HarperCollins and Scholastic. If you choose to buy additional materials, please ensure they are Little Wandle‑aligned so they match the teaching in school.