From Nursery through to Year 2, children develop their reading and writing skills through a structured phonics programme alongside talk, play and story-sharing.

In Nursery, children begin by listening carefully to sounds, enjoying rhymes, and developing an awareness of spoken language. In Reception, children learn letter sounds and how to blend them together to read words. As they move into Year 1 and Year 2, children build on this knowledge by reading with increasing confidence, spelling more accurately, and applying their phonics skills in their writing.

Phonics learning at home plays an important role in supporting children’s progress. Regular practice helps children to recognise sounds, read words more fluently, and develop confidence in both reading and writing. Short, positive activities at home can make a big difference and help children to enjoy learning.

By working together, home and school can support children to become confident, capable readers and writers.

Reading Book Bands