Supporting my child with Phonics

At Rockland & Surlingham, we are committed to giving every child the strongest possible foundation in reading. That’s why we use the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised programme — a structured, systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) scheme that ensures consistency and progression in how we teach phonics across the school.

What We Do in School

• Daily Phonics Lessons: Children in Early Years and Key Stage 1 have a daily phonics session, following the carefully sequenced progression of Little Wandle. This means they learn the sounds (phonemes), how to recognise the corresponding letters or letter groups (graphemes), and how to blend these sounds to read words.
• Reading Practice: In small groups, pupils practise reading fully decodable books that match exactly the phonemes they have learned. We use Little Wandle’s matched decodable readers so that children experience success and build fluency.
• Keep-up Support: For children who need extra help, we run daily “keep-up” sessions. These are aligned with our classroom teaching, but in smaller steps, so all children consolidate their learning.
• Assessment & Tracking: Regular assessment using the Little Wandle assessment tools allows us to monitor progress carefully. We can spot gaps early and plan support quickly.
• Reading for Pleasure: Alongside decodable practice books, children are also given sharing (or “listening”) books – books chosen for enjoyment, rich language, and exposure to vocabulary and ideas beyond their current phonic knowledge. Teachers read aloud to the class, modelling expression and fluency, and helping children develop a love of reading.

How Parents Can Support at Home

Your support is vital. By working with us, you can significantly boost your child’s progress in reading. Below are some excellent resources from the Little Wandle “For Parents” section:

• Videos – Short, helpful videos show how phonics is taught in school, including how to say each sound, how tricky words are taught, and how blending works. https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/resources/for-parents/
• Downloads:
  • Sound guides – Use the downloadable guides for each phase to help your child say their sounds correctly. 
  • Grapheme mats – Handy mats show letters and letter groups your child is learning, which can support reading and writing at home. 
  • Letter formation support – Guides explain how we teach letter formation, including capital letters.
  • Tricky words help – You can download a parent-friendly version of tricky words resources to help your child practise. (
• Understanding Their Books: There are helpful explanations about the two types of books your child brings home:

  1. Reading Practice Book – Fully decodable and matched to the sounds your child knows; designed for them to practise reading independently. 

  2. Sharing Book – A book for you to read and enjoy together. It helps with vocabulary, comprehension, and a lifelong love of reading.https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/resources/for-parents/
• Parent Workshop Presentations: Little Wandle provide ready-to-use slide decks that schools (like ours) can use for parent information evenings. These explain how we teach phonics, why we use particular books, and how you can help at home. https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/whats-included/support-for-parents/

Useful Links for Parents

• Little Wandle Parent Resources: For downloadable guides, videos, and more → Little Wandle For Parents page. https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/resources/for-parents/
• How Little Wandle Works: Background on the Little Wandle programme, its research base, and teaching philosophy. (Letters and Sounds https://www.littlewandle.org.uk

In summary: At Rockland & Surlingham Schools, we believe that teaching children to read confidently is one of the greatest gifts we can give. By following the Little Wandle scheme in school and working alongside you at home, we give your child every chance to become a fluent, enthusiastic reader. Thank you for your partnership in this journey.