Little Wandle Phonics

At Christchurch Infant School, we believe that learning to read is one of the most important things a child will ever do. Reading opens the door to discovery, imagination, and lifelong learning. Our aim is for every child to become a confident, fluent reader who develops a true love of books and language from the very start of their school journey. 

At our school we use Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised as our chosen systematic synthetic phonics programme. It provides a clear, structured approach that ensures consistency and success for all children across our school. Through daily, engaging phonics sessions, we teach children the essential skills to decode words, build fluency, and develop strong comprehension. 

Our intent is to: 

Reception: Lay strong foundations in phonics by introducing children to the sounds and skills needed to decode words. We nurture early reading behaviours through engaging, structured lessons and carefully matched decodable books. 

Year 1: Consolidate and extend phonics knowledge, ensuring children can blend and segment with increasing fluency. We prepare pupils thoroughly for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, while continuing to foster a love of reading through daily practice and rich texts. 

Year 2: Strengthen fluency, comprehension, and spelling by applying phonics knowledge across the curriculum. We support children in transitioning from decoding to confident, independent reading, while identifying and supporting those who need additional keep-up sessions. 

By following Little Wandle, we ensure that every child receives consistent, high-quality phonics teaching that is inclusive and ambitious for all learners. We are committed to providing targeted support so that no child is left behind in their reading journey, and every learner feels confident and successful. Through our strong phonics teaching and rich reading experiences, we strive to equip children with the skills and confidence they need to access the wider curriculum and become lifelong learners who take pride in their achievements.