Early Reading and Phonics

Phonics at Ladybrook

The English language contains thousands of words; the relationships between sound of speech and letters is complicated. Therefore, there is no doubt that learning to read is a challenge but a challenge we, at Ladybrook, aim to thrive at. The aim of teaching ‘phonics’ is to help children to decode (sound out) when reading and ensure that children can access the wonder that comes along with reading.

Children's independent reading can be broken down into the following levels:

Independent Level	Relatively easy for the child to read (95% word accuracy).
Instructional Level	Challenging but manageable for the reader (90% word accuracy).
Frustration Level	Difficult text for the child to read (less than 90% word accuracy).

At Ladybrook, we send home a decodable reading book (at Instructional Level) and a reading for pleasure book for children to enjoy with their family.

Throughout Early Years and Key Stage One phonics is now taught using Debbie Hepplewhite’s ‘No Nonsenses Phonics’. This scheme is a full systematic synthetic phonics programme that has been validated by the DfE in July 2021. Our staff have taken part in training with Debbie Hepplewhite on how to effectively teach children the alphabetic code and the children are using the quality resources daily that complement the program. The letters act as a ‘code’ for the sounds of speech. Phonics lessons are taught daily and children spend 2 days on each new ‘code’ with incidental phonics weaved throughout teaching.