Guidance Online English resources for home education
English: early years
Phonics
Evidence shows that learning phonics is most effective when children are
taught by following a single programme exclusively, rather than mixing them
up. If parents are to support their child’s phonics learning during school
closure, schools should try, as far as possible, to provide materials from the
same programme as they use in school.
The DfE’s validated phonics programmes, and their resources, are listed below.
Some schools will use programmes not on this list and should explore what
materials are available by visiting the website for that programme.
DfE’s validated phonics programmes are:
Bug Club Phonics
Website:
www.pearsonprimary.co.uk/BCPhonics
Access through ActiveLearn
Primary to Bug Club
Phonics e-books, activities, shared read aloud videos and resources.
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: following the Letters and Sounds programme, Bug Club Phonics
has e-books, teaching material and practice games
Registration: required for free access to Bug Club Phonics. Form available
for parents to register
Floppy’s Phonics (Oxford Reading Tree)
Websites:
www.oxfordprimary.co.uk/floppysphonicstp
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/ for phonic guidance and practise
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: online subscription enables schools to give pupils access to
materials to practise GPCs at home. Activities and advice for parents and
selected e-books available.
Registration: required for Oxford Owl for Home
Jolly Phonics
Website: www.jollylearning.co.uk
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read
Description: teaching videos covering key skills needed for reading and
writing. Access to guidance and a bank of activity sheets covering phonics,
grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Registration: not required
Letters and Sounds
Websites: www.gov.uk/government/publications/letters-and-
sounds - for
the handbook
Letters and Sounds for home and
school - filmed phonics lessons
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read.
Description: filmed phonics lessons that follow phases 2 to 5 of the
Letters and Sounds programme for reception, year 1 and learning to blend.
Parent guidance videos.
Registration: not required
Phonics International
Website: https://phonicsinternational.com - for home-learning resources
and recorded webinar for teachers
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2 to
adults learning to read.
Description: home learning resources include ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics
Skills’ and materials for reading, spelling and handwriting. The free series
of 8 e-books include 200+ cumulative, decodable sentences and texts.
Registration: not required for all open access material. Required to
download e-books ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’.
Read Write Inc.
Websites: www.ruthmiskin.com - filmed
phonics lessons
Oxford Owl Phonics -
e-books and activities
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read
Description: phonics, word reading and spelling video lessons on YouTube.
Phonics e-books, activities and advice from Oxford Owl
Registration: not required for filmed phonics lessons. Required for Oxford
Owl for Home to access e-books
Sound Discovery® Phonics
Websites: www.syntheticphonics.net
Rapid reading e-books and
resources
Key stages: nursery to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and key stage 3 pupils
learning to read.
Description: advice, activities, videos, lesson plans and sample pages for
reading, spelling and handwriting. Access to Rapid Phonics e-books and
resources.
Registration: not required for Sound Discovery® videos and sample pages.
Required for Pearson via school to access Rapid Phonics e-books.
Sounds-Write
Website: www.sounds-write.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and
key stage 3 pupils learning to read.
Description: online courses and videos for parents, IWB resources,
activity workbooks and games.
Registration: not required
Other providers
Audible
Website: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: all children’s audiobooks are available for free while
schools are closed.
Registration: not required
Authorfy
Website: https://authorfy.com
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: access to masterclasses on texts from a range of authors,
including videos from the authors and activities linked to novels.
Registration: is required
BookTrust
Website: https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/bookfinder/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, including fiction and non-fiction. Family activities are included
in the ‘Home Time’ section.
Registration: not required
Classroom Secrets
Website: https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/free-home-learning-packs/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource packs which cover a range of subjects,
including reading and writing.
Registration: not required
Literacy Counts
Website: https://literacycounts.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: free home learning packs for parents covering reading and
writing. A school offer is also available.
Registration: is required
Love Reading 4 Kids
Website: https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, covering fiction and non-fiction.
Registration: not required
Manorfield Primary School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEaSVZf7cZR1kNQkuIRoUg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics and reading
Registration: not required
Purple Mash
Website: https://2simple.com/purple-mash/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: free during the school closure period. Each week, a selection
of daily activities is produced on different subjects, including comprehension
and grammar.
Registration: is required
St. Peter’s School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM5pEwawjlZt69qmczAiQvg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics, reading, spelling,
punctuation and grammar
Registration: not required
Storytime with Nick
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDe74j1F52zQ51fqNpKV07E71knNl8HFn
Key stages: early years foundation stage and key stage 1
Description: films of well-loved stories read by Nick Cannon, a trained
actor, teacher and trainer available Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2pm.
Registration: not required
The Children’s Poetry Archive
Website: https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: an archive of spoken poetry recordings. Children can listen
to poems read out loud.
Registration: not required
*[DfE]: Department for Education