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At Cherry Burton Primary School, we use Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) to teach early reading and phonics. ELS is a systematic synthetic phonics program that helps children quickly learn to read, write, and spell with confidence.
Our aim is for every child to become a fluent, confident reader who enjoys books and develops a lifelong love of reading. Through the ELS approach, children are taught to:
Recognise individual sounds (phonemes) and match them to letters (graphemes)
Blend sounds together to read new words
Segment words into sounds to support accurate spelling
Apply their phonics knowledge in reading and writing across the curriculum
Phonics is taught daily from the very start of Reception and continues through Key Stage 1. Each lesson follows a consistent, structured routine that helps children remember and apply what they have learned. We use high-quality, fully decodable books that are matched precisely to the sounds your child is learning. This ensures that children can practise their skills successfully and grow in confidence.
At home, you can support your child by sharing books regularly, practising the sounds they are learning, and celebrating their progress as they begin their reading journey.
For more information about Essential Letters and Sounds, you can visit the ELS parent website.
CURRENT READING SCHEMES IN SCHOOL
Word Sparks
Traditional Tales
Project X