At Woodside Academy, we are passionate about ensuring that every child becomes a confident, fluent reader and writer. We recognise that early reading is the cornerstone of academic success and lifelong learning. Aligned with the DfE Reading Framework (2023), we prioritise decoding, fluency, and reading for pleasure from the earliest stages. To support this, we follow Monster Phonics—a systematic synthetic phonics programme—across our Early Years and Key Stage 1 classes.

Why Learning to Read is so Important

• A Foundation for All Subjects: Reading is a foundational skill that supports success across the curriculum, boosting life chances.
• Beyond Academics: A positive attitude towards reading has lasting social, emotional, and cognitive benefits, enriching children’s lives.

How Children Learn to Read with Monster Phonics

Monster Phonics is a proven systematic synthetic phonics approach, incorporating colour coding and character cues, making phonics both easier to understand and more memorable. Here’s how it works:

• Understanding Phonic Sounds: Children start by recognising and saying phonic sounds.
• Blending Sounds to Read: Children learn to blend these sounds to read words, gradually building fluency and confidence.
• Daily Practice and Progression: Children follow a structured lesson sequence, moving from simple sounds to more complex phonics patterns.

Reading Fully Decodable Books

At Woodside Academy, we provide fully decodable books that match your child’s phonics level, supporting confidence and skill at the right stage:

• Phonics-Aligned Texts: Books are carefully matched to your child’s current knowledge, making reading more successful and fluent.
• Decodable Texts Only: By focusing on decoding rather than guessing from context or pictures, children build stronger reading foundations.

The fully decodable Monster Phonics books follow the programme's progression, enabling children to develop their reading skills in a logical, supportive sequence until they can decode confidently and independently.

How to Help at Home

A Parent's Guide to Monster Phonics can be found here. You will find practical tips on how you can reinforce phonics skills at home. Parents learn strategies for reading with their children, practising phonics sounds, and encouraging spelling through fun, everyday activities: https://ebooks.monsterphonics.com/parents-webinar/

If you would like to find out more about Monster Phonics, visit the parent information page here: https://monsterphonics.com/phonics-support-for-parents/