The Foundation to Phonics

Dear Colleague

The Foundation to Phonics:  Improving Phonological Awareness in Oxfordshire in 2025/6 

This autumn the Early Years & Childcare Quality Improvement Team are providing FREE face to face training to launch a new Oxfordshire Phonological Awareness booklet. 

Phonological awareness is an oral language skill that every child needs in their journey to become a reader.  Phonological awareness refers to the ability to recognise and manipulate sounds in words. It involves skills such as recognising the difference between sounds and making different sounds, rhyming, alliteration, blending and segmenting. 

We expect every setting and school to send at least one member of staff to attend this training.  The training is being delivered face to face across the county in different areas and is also available on line. The training is free and each school/setting attending will receive a copy of the new resource.

This training and resource is invaluable for nursery practitioners, phonics leaders and reception teachers, as these skills continue to develop throughout the reception year.  Helping all children to develop these skills in their early years will support their journey as a reader.  Children from a disadvantaged background will particularly benefit from a focus on these strategies.  Regardless of whatever commercial phonics scheme you use, having an in depth knowledge and understanding of phonological awareness and how to use this alongside a phonics scheme is essential to ensure all children make good progress in reading.  

Please book now via Education Services through this link.

We look forward to seeing you at the session,
 

Best wishes,

Michelle Jenkins
Early Years and Childcare Quality Improvement Manager