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TheSchoolRun.com closure date

As we informed you a few months ago, TheSchoolRun has had to make the difficult decision to close due to financial pressures and the company has now ceased trading. We had hoped to keep our content available through a partnership with another educational provider, but this provider has since withdrawn from the agreement.

As a result, we now have to permanently close TheSchoolRun.com. However, to give subscribers time to download any content they’d like to keep, we will keep the website open until 31st July 2025. After this date, the site will be taken down and there will be no further access to any resources. We strongly encourage you to download and save any resources you think you may want to use in the future.

In particular, we suggest downloading:

You should already have received 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep. If you haven’t received these, please contact us at [email protected] before 31st July 2025, and we will send them to you.

We are very sorry that there is no way to continue offering access to resources and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.

Reading unfamiliar words using phonics

Reading unfamiliar words using phonics worksheet
A KS1 worksheet of nonsense words, based on the National Curriculum and created by a phonics expert to get Year 1 children using their phonics skills to decode unfamiliar words.

These robots have such funny names! Can you read them?
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Keystage:  KS1, Year 1

What is KS1 phonics, and how are is it taught in Year 1?

KS1 phonics is a method of teaching young children how to read and write by learning the sounds that letters make. 

In Year 1, this process is all about helping children connect these sounds with letters, and then blending them together to form words. 

The National Curriculum for England emphasises a systematic approach to phonics, which means teaching sounds in a specific order and using a consistent approach. 

This helps children build a strong foundation for reading and writing skills.

In Year 1, phonics is taught through fun and interactive activities that engage children and make learning enjoyable. 

Teachers use a variety of methods to reinforce these skills, such as:

  • Daily phonics lessons
    Short, structured sessions where children learn new sounds, practise blending sounds to make words and segmenting words into individual sounds.
     
  • Reading practice
    Children read books that match their phonics knowledge, helping them apply what they've learned and gain confidence in their reading abilities.
     
  • Phonics games and activities
    Interactive games and activities that make learning phonics fun and help reinforce the sounds and words they are learning.

These methods ensure that children in Year 1 develop strong reading and writing skills, setting them up for success as they continue their education.

How will this phonics activity help your Year 1 child?

This phonics resource was made by an experienced educator with the purpose of helping your Year 1 child improve their skills with phonics by presenting them with unfamiliar words. These words follow basic rules, and will require your child's knowledge of phonics to decode them. This is great practice for the Phonics Screening Check. 

For more help with phonics, visit our hub page, or try a new challenge such as our Long vowel sounds 'a' and 'e' worksheet.