1. Blending

2. Segmenting

3. Phoneme manipulation

Building Confidence

Key Concepts

Children in our Foundation Stage begin with the initial code where they practise all three key skills whilst learning the 1:1 sound-spelling correspondences and securing their understanding of key concept 1.

This builds up confidence and phonic knowledge in a truly reversible system, enabling them to decode and encode a wide range of words and sentences. At first, children learn to read and write simple one syllable words with a CVC structure.

Complexity of word structure systematically builds up so that children apply their code knowledge to monosyllabic words with up to six sounds.

Lifelong Learning

Once the initial code has been mastered, children continue to practise all three key skills whilst learning the extended code which explores key concepts 2, 3 and 4. Learning of the extended code is a lifelong process – we all continue to develop our understanding of this code whenever we encounter new words. Whilst learning the extended code, children read and write monosyllabic and polysyllabic words at an age-appropriate level.  

Children in Foundation Stage and KS1 have a 30 minute phonics lesson every day, in addition to their reading and writing lessons.

We encourage all of our parents to access the free Sounds-Write online course for parents: Help your child to read and write so that they are well-informed about how best to support their children with their reading.