Teaching phonics

Understand how to choose an approved phonics programme, and see examples of how schools use them and set out their phonics objectives and policies.

Last reviewed on 21 February 2023
School types: All · School phases: Primary
Ref: 864
Contents
  1. Assess your staff phonics knowledge first
  2. Choose a phonics programme to deliver
  3. How are other schools using these? 
  4. Include your phonics aims and objectives on your website
  5. Write your own spelling and phonics policy using these examples

It's a statutory requirement to teach phonics at Key Stage 1 (KS1) and administer the phonics screening check to all pupils who meet the required standards in KS1.

Assess your staff phonics knowledge first

Share our subject knowledge audit with staff to get an idea of their confidence in teaching phonics, and where they might need more support. 

Choose a phonics programme to deliver

What are the approved programmes?

The DfE has a list of programmes that meet its "core criteria for effective systematic synthetic phonics teaching". These are optional (see the section below).

Find links to each of the approved programmes here Programmes without a link are yet to be added to the DfE's contact details for programmes page. ACET Phonics All Aboard Phonics A Flying Start with Letters and Sounds ALS Phonics: Letters and Sounds Anima Phonics: Letters and