Phonics
Phonics at Fishburn: At a Glance
At Fishburn Primary School, we want every child to become a confident, fluent reader who enjoys reading for pleasure.
We teach phonics through Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, a complete Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme. Phonics is taught daily so children develop strong decoding skills and early reading confidence.
Reading Policy - Final 25_26
Phonics teaches children to:
- recognise sounds that letters make (phonemes)
- match sounds to letters (graphemes)
- blend sounds to read words
- segment sounds to spell words
Our Phonics Scheme (Little Wandle)
We follow Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which supports children to learn to read through clear progression and consistent teaching routines.
Little Wandle supports all pupils to succeed through:
✅ structured daily teaching
✅ regular review and practice
✅ books matched to sounds taught
✅ quick support when children need extra practice
How We Teach Phonics
Phonics is taught daily across EYFS and Key Stage 1 and continues beyond this where needed.
Lessons include:
- learning a new sound
- blending words
- spelling by segmenting
- reading words and sentences
- revisiting and securing learning through practice
Reading Practice Books
Children take home a fully decodable reading book matched carefully to the sounds they have been taught, so they can practise successfully and build fluency.
Children also choose a reading for pleasure book to enjoy sharing at home.
Keep-up Support (Not Catch-up)
We identify any child who needs extra support quickly.
We follow Little Wandle’s approach of:
✅ Keep-up, not catch-up
This means children receive extra practice straight away so they can stay on track.
Assessment
Children are assessed regularly to ensure they are secure in their phonics knowledge.
In Year 1, children complete the Phonics Screening Check in June. Children who need additional support continue phonics teaching and may re-take the check in Year 2.
✅ Phonics at Home: Parent & Carer FAQs
What is phonics?
Phonics teaches children to read by matching sounds to letters and blending sounds together to read words.
What does “fully decodable” mean?
It means the book matches the sounds your child already knows, so they can read successfully and confidently.
Why does my child read the same book more than once?
Re-reading builds fluency, confidence and expression.
How can I help at home?
You can help by:
- hearing your child read regularly
- encouraging them to sound out and blend
- praising effort and perseverance
- sharing books for enjoyment
✅ Useful Links for Parents and Carers
- Little Wandle Parent Support
- Pronunciation videos
- Reading at Home guidance
- Phonics support and tricky words