How we teach

Phonics for 2 to 4 year olds, one clear stage at a time

Young children learn through play, so every session is short, varied and hands-on. Sounds come first, then blending, then reading. We use the common UK order, so what your child learns matches the phases Reception teaches. Every reader and activity uses only the sounds and tricky words from its own stage and earlier ones.

The reading path

Age 2
Stage 0: Listening
Hears and plays with sounds in words.
Words like: c-a-t... cat
Age 3
Stage 1
Blends and reads simple CVC words.
Words like: sat, pin, dog
Age 4
Stage 2
Reads words and short sentences with digraphs and trigraphs.
Words like: chip, rain, night
Age 4
Stage 3
Reads longer words fluently.
Words like: stamp, frog, sandwich
Confident 4 to 5
Stage 4
Reads with alternative spellings.
Words like: play, cake, phone

Every sound and tricky word

Stage 0: Listening

New sounds: No letters yet. Environmental sounds, rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, voice sounds and oral blending (c-a-t... cat).
Tricky words: None
Reading goal: Hears and plays with sounds in words. (c-a-t... cat)

Stage 1

New sounds: satpinmdgockckeurhbffflllss
Tricky words: the, to, I, no, go, into
Reading goal: Blends and reads simple CVC words. (sat, pin, dog)

Stage 2

New sounds: jvwxyzzzquchshthngaieeighoaoo(book)oo(moon)arorurowoiearairureer
Tricky words: he, she, we, me, be, was, you, they, all, are, my, her
Reading goal: Reads words and short sentences with digraphs and trigraphs. (chip, rain, night)

Stage 3

New sounds: No new sounds. Adjacent consonants: CVCC and CCVC words, then longer words.
Tricky words: said, have, like, so, do, some, come, were, there, little, one, when, out, what
Reading goal: Reads longer words fluently. (stamp, frog, sandwich)

Stage 4

New sounds: ayouieeaoyirueawwhphewoeaueysplitdigraphsa-ee-ei-eo-eu-ealternativepronunciations
Tricky words: oh, their, people, Mr, Mrs, looked, called, asked, could
Reading goal: Reads with alternative spellings. (play, cake, phone)

Phonics stages with new sounds, tricky words and reading goals.
Stage	New sounds, in teaching order	Tricky words	Reading goal
Stage 0: Listening	No letters yet. Environmental sounds, rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, voice sounds and oral blending (c-a-t... cat).	None	Hears and plays with sounds in words. (c-a-t... cat)
Stage 1	satpinmdgockckeurhbffflllss	the, to, I, no, go, into	Blends and reads simple CVC words. (sat, pin, dog)
Stage 2	jvwxyzzzquchshthngaieeighoaoo(book)oo(moon)arorurowoiearairureer	he, she, we, me, be, was, you, they, all, are, my, her	Reads words and short sentences with digraphs and trigraphs. (chip, rain, night)
Stage 3	No new sounds. Adjacent consonants: CVCC and CCVC words, then longer words.	said, have, like, so, do, some, come, were, there, little, one, when, out, what	Reads longer words fluently. (stamp, frog, sandwich)
Stage 4	ayouieeaoyirueawwhphewoeaueysplitdigraphsa-ee-ei-eo-eu-ealternativepronunciations	oh, their, people, Mr, Mrs, looked, called, asked, could	Reads with alternative spellings. (play, cake, phone)

Where your child starts

New children begin with a short, play-based check, so we place them on the path by what they can do, not by their birthday.

Age 2: Stage 0, plus a playful introduction to the Stage 1 letters in s, a, t, p order. Sounds, not letter names. No reading expected.
Age 3: Stage 1, plus oral blending, then reading CVC words.
Age 4: Stages 2 and 3, roughly what Reception covers in school.
Confident 4 to 5: Stage 4 for children who are ready to go further.

A session, block by block

Sessions last up to 1 hour 45 minutes, including arrival and handover. Two year olds do shorter, simpler versions of each block. The tutor watches and notes progress during the making block, then gives you a one-minute update at the end.

The 1 hour 45 minute session, block by block, for age 2 and ages 3 to 4.
Time	Block	Age 2	Ages 3 to 4
0:00 to 0:05	Arrive and settleHandover and free play with a set-out activity.	The same for every age
0:05 to 0:15	Welcome circleHello song, day and weather, recall from last session.	Song and actions	Recall last sound and number
0:15 to 0:30	PhonicsSound of the day from the approved progression.	Stage 0 listening games, first sounds	Stages 1 to 3: new sound, blending, reading
0:30 to 0:40	MoveGross motor play linked to the theme.	The same for every age
0:40 to 0:50	Snack and storyShared book, new vocabulary, talk.	Point and name	Retell and predict
0:50 to 1:05	Maths through playNumber, counting, shape, pattern, measuring.	Counting to 5, sorting	Counting, number recognition, simple adding
1:05 to 1:20	Singing and musicRhymes, rhythm, pitch, action songs.	Same, shorter	Plus clapping syllables
1:20 to 1:38	Make and exploreFine motor, art, sensory or theme activity. The tutor observes and notes progress.	Sensory, scribbling	Mark-making, letter formation, crafts
1:38 to 1:45	Review and goodbyeWhat we learned, goodbye song, a one-minute parent update.	The same for every age

0:00 to 0:05Arrive and settle
Handover and free play with a set-out activity.
The same for every age
0:05 to 0:15Welcome circle
Hello song, day and weather, recall from last session.
Age 2
Song and actions
Ages 3 to 4
Recall last sound and number
0:15 to 0:30Phonics
Sound of the day from the approved progression.
Age 2
Stage 0 listening games, first sounds
Ages 3 to 4
Stages 1 to 3: new sound, blending, reading
0:30 to 0:40Move
Gross motor play linked to the theme.
The same for every age
0:40 to 0:50Snack and story
Shared book, new vocabulary, talk.
Age 2
Point and name
Ages 3 to 4
Retell and predict
0:50 to 1:05Maths through play
Number, counting, shape, pattern, measuring.
Age 2
Counting to 5, sorting
Ages 3 to 4
Counting, number recognition, simple adding
1:05 to 1:20Singing and music
Rhymes, rhythm, pitch, action songs.
Age 2
Same, shorter
Ages 3 to 4
Plus clapping syllables
1:20 to 1:38Make and explore
Fine motor, art, sensory or theme activity. The tutor observes and notes progress.
Age 2
Sensory, scribbling
Ages 3 to 4
Mark-making, letter formation, crafts
1:38 to 1:45Review and goodbye
What we learned, goodbye song, a one-minute parent update.
The same for every age

Ready to ask about a place?

Send a short enquiry. Deborah will reply within 2 working days.

Ask about a founding place