Early Reading and Phonics

At our Nursery, we believe that a love of reading begins long before children can read words.

From birth, children learn through listening, watching, talking and sharing stories. These early experiences help children develop communication skills, imagination and emotional understanding- giving them a voice and helping them make sense of the world around them.

We aim to nurture confident communicators and enthusiastic learners who enjoy books, stories and sounds, building strong foundations for later reading.

The Nature of Early Reading

Early reading is about much more than recognising letters.

It begins with:

Listening to stories
Talking about pictures
Joining in with rhymes and songs
Hearing environmental sounds
Sharing books with adults
Exploring language through play

These experiences help children develop:

Attention and listening
Vocabulary and understanding
Confidence in communication
Curiosity and imagination

Through stories, children are introduced to new ideas, characters and worlds beyond their own experience. Reading supports children’s emotional, social and intellectual development and helps them build empathy and understanding of others.

Our Intent

We are passionate about supporting early communication, phonics and reading readiness from birth.

Our aim is to:

Foster a lifelong love of books and stories
Build rich spoken language and vocabulary
Develop listening and attention skills
Help children feel confident and capable as early readers
Ensure every child is supported at their own pace

We recognise that children arrive with different experiences of books and language. Our role is to provide a warm, language-rich environment where every child can thrive.

How We Teach Phonics & Early Reading in Nursery

Phonics at Nursery is playful, practical and rooted in communication.

👶 Babies & Toddlers

Children begin by:

Listening to familiar voices and stories
Exploring books through touch and play
Hearing songs and nursery rhymes
Tuning into everyday sounds

Adults model language, repeat words and share books daily, helping children feel secure and engaged.

🧒 Toddlers & Preschool

As children grow, we focus on developing sound awareness through:

Environmental sounds
Instrument sounds
Body percussion
Rhythm and rhyme
Voice sounds

Children learn to listen carefully, copy sounds and join in with songs and rhymes.

This leads into early phonics skills such as:

Oral blending (hearing sounds and putting them together)
Oral segmenting (breaking words into sounds)

In Preschool, we introduce Floppy’s Phonics Level 1, where children:

Get to know the characters from The Oxford Reading Tree Scheme
Talk about pictures to develop comprehension
Retell stories in their own words
Begin to feel like readers
Explore sounds interactively through books and digital resources

This approach supports language development while gently introducing early phonics in an engaging, child-friendly way.

Find out more about Oxford reading Tree by clicking on the tab: Parents Guide

Oxford Owl Learning at Home

The Oxford Owl Learning at Home – Ages 3–4 page provides a range of supportive resources, activities and advice for parents of nursery-aged children. It includes ideas for fun, play-based learning, information about what to expect in the early years, tips for supporting early reading and maths skills, and guidance on preparing for starting school. The page also links to helpful tools like early reading suggestions, phonics support, playful activities, and podcasts for parents, all designed to help young children enjoy books, build communication skills and develop confidence through language-rich experiences at home. Oxford Owl Learning at Home – Ages 3–4

Learning About Letters

Letters and sounds are introduced only when children are developmentally ready, and always in a playful, meaningful way. This might include:

Spotting letters in their name
Talking about sounds in stories
Exploring letter shapes through movement and play
Using magnetic letters or mark making