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. Written language can be compared to a code, so knowing the sounds of individual letters and how those letters sound when they’re combined will help children decode words as they read.

Understanding phonics will also help children know which letters to use when they are writing words. It involves matching the sounds of spoken English with individual letters or groups of letters. For example, the sound k can be spelt as c, k, ck or ch.

Teaching children to blend the sounds of letters together helps them decode unfamiliar or unknown words by sounding them out. For example, when a child is taught the sounds for the letters t, p, a and s, they can start to build up the words: “tap”, “taps”, “pat”, “pats” and “sat”.

Ready, Steady, Phonics

At Comberbach, we teach children phonics using Ready, Steady, Phonics.

Early Reading

We are passionate about getting children reading. Our high-quality, fast-paced phonics teaching is supported by the use of high-quality books which are closely matched to the current phonic phase of each pupil. We use the Ready, Steady, Phonics books within our guided reading sessions. Pupils also have access to a Love of Reading book.