Ages 3-4
Create a firm foundation for literacy
First StepsSign in for a more personalised experience
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Sign inDon’t have an account? Click to sign up today!Rocket Phonics has a simple mission: to ensure every learner becomes a lifelong reader and writer.
The proven story-based approach by literacy expert Abigail Steel puts a love of reading at the heart of phonics. By working with primary schools, we’ve created a next-generation programme that will:
- raise phonics attainment
- develop wider literacy skills
- ignite a love for books in your learners
- and put the joy back into your teaching.
Rocket Phonics is aligned to Letters and Sounds and provides everything needed to teach a complete SSP programme including fully-decodable reading books, flashcards, assessments, daily lesson plans and display materials. Plus, we provide bespoke CPD training to ensure your school feels confident in delivering the Rocket Phonics programme with ease, confidence and impact.
The Rocket Phonics Journey
Ages 3-4
Create a firm foundation for literacy with a fun introductory phonics programme based on Phases 1-2 of Letters and Sounds. For children aged 3-4.
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Ensure young learners develop the skills they need to start their reading journey, through a focus on oral communication and phonemic awareness
- Introduce letter-sounds in the order of natural speech development and expand vocabulary using the flashcards and immersive Big Book stories
- Build confidence and enjoyment in learning through much-loved nursery rhymes, fun ditties and child-centred games and activities
- Develop letter-recognition skills using the accessible Activity Booklets that strengthen fine motor skills and provide practise for mark making and emergent handwriting
- Demonstrate how to navigate a book and practise early blending using vibrant reading books for Lilac and Lilac+ bands
How Rocket Phonics works
The Rocket Phonics Journey
What's included
Samples
Feel empowered to deliver phonics and literacy to suit your learners' needs through structured yet flexible teaching. Follow the Rocket Phonics journey all the way through Foundation and Key Stage 1:
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First Steps for ages 3-4
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Rocket Phonics SSP for ages 4-6
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Next Steps for ages 6-7
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Introduce and revise letter-sounds using colourful flashcards.
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Learn and revise letter-sounds in context and ignite a love of story by sharing the unique Big books stories, and playing fun interactive games as a class.
- Gradually build confidence and consistently practise reading and writing using the write-in booklets.
- Consolidate skills and spark a passion for reading through a rich collection of aligned and fully decodable reading books.
- Use the weekly assessments to ensure that learners stay on track.
Why teachers love Rocket Phonics
"The response to the scheme from every teacher at the school has been excitement. They’re amazed at the children’s progress. We are now in the best position we have ever been with regards to phonics and reading. We have transformed the attitude towards phonics amongst our adults in school (who now believe children ‘can’ do it!) and our children (who now believe phonics is fun!)."
What more teachers are saying...
The response to the scheme from every teacher at the school has been excitement. They’re amazed at the children’s progress.
Annie Dobbie, Phonics Lead Ebor Gardens Primary Academy…we had all the phonics leads from the other primary schools within our Trust come over to our school and observe Amy in pre-school because I was banging on about how amazing it was. It just showed such good practice that some literally went back that same day and signed up.
Lisa, Phonics Coordinator & KS1 Literacy Lead Woodland Grange Primary School…our favourite bit is the ditties. … as soon as the video closes, then the children just want to carry on doing it. So we end up doing it a few times and we’re like, let’s do it in a big voice then using a quiet voice... So yeah, the ditties have worked really well.
Amy, Preschool Lead & Early Years SENCo Woodland Grange Primary SchoolWe are now in the best position we have ever been with regards to phonics and reading. We have transformed the attitude towards phonics amongst our adults in school (who now believe children ‘can’ do it!) and our children (who now believe phonics is fun!).
Amy Brookes, Assistant Principal and Phonics and Reading Lead Victoria Primary AcademyMy preschool staff are really enjoying teaching the phonics scheme! The children are really enjoying learning the sounds. I’m having to go in all the time and see the children as they keep wanting to tell me what sound they are learning that day!
Sophie Wyatt, Early Years, Phonics and Early Reading Lead St. Barnabas CE First and Middle School
Teacher favourites
The impact of Rocket Phonics First Steps
Evaluating the impact of Rocket Phonics First Steps on learners and teachers in early years education
This report shares the experiences of schools involved in trialling Rocket Phonics First Steps, and sets out what this means for those considering adopting a new SSP programme for children in Early Years. The report draws on qualitative data from 11 UK primary schools with EYFS provision, one special school and one independent standalone nursery.
Written by Melissa Mackinlay, Independent Education and Market Research Consultant
Highlights from the report
Rocket Phonics First Steps works. Across the research sample, all participants, including SLT and nursery practitioners, said that they could see an impact on children’s progress and development across a range of areas. “We’ve seen the benefit on children’s acquisition of phonics sounds and how they’re learning and retaining those, developing phoneme grapheme correspondence which means they’re readier to start a formal programme [in Reception]”.
Impact Report Evaluating the impact on learners and teachers in early years educationThe structure and progression mean that practitioners can identify children who are struggling with a sound and quickly put in place additional support. “…the order of the speech sounds … follows their development which helps their communication and language. I’ve seen an impact already with children who need support around the pronunciations of those sounds.”
Impact Report Evaluating the impact on learners and teachers in early years educationCompared with children who were joining Reception from settings which had not used it, pupils who had followed Rocket Phonics First Steps were more secure in their learning, and familiar with the routine of a structured daily phonics session. “[Colleagues in Reception] said they could see a huge difference in those children that had done it the year before in comparison to those that come in from external nurseries that had never done it before.”
Impact Report Evaluating the impact on learners and teachers in early years educationAdopting Rocket Phonics First Steps has boosted staff confidence through the provision of practical training and easy-to-use resources. The daily lesson plans provide clear step-by-step support, and the consistent structure makes it easy to embed it into their provision. “We have that confidence – we’re doing this in nursery and we know what we’re doing.”
Impact Report Evaluating the impact on learners and teachers in early years educationRocket Phonics First Steps is more than just a phonics programme: it is based on an holistic approach to developing speech and language. “We love the fact it’s a phonics programme and language programme combined… it’s your vocab, it’s your writing, your understanding, your comprehension, it’s all the [elements]. They all draw together.”
Impact Report Evaluating the impact on learners and teachers in early years education
Support for parents and teachers
Rocket Phonics CPD
Parent support
Rocket Phonics for Hubs
A guide to phonics for parents and schools
Rocket Phonics uses a straightforward approach to create transformative results: steady pace, whole-class teaching and consistent daily practice. We expect and encourage teachers to make suitable adaptations; you know what is best for your learners. But generally, our schools report that they achieve the best results when they implement the Rocket Phonics pedagogy.
It can be challenging to teach phonics in a different way which is why we recommend schools complete a minimum of 1-day of CPD training with Abigail Steel Training. Ongoing professional development is also key to ongoing phonics success; we provide a range of additional courses to support different needs from teaching lower attainers to leadership development.
Join our Online Rocket Phonics Community
Share ideas, ask questions and get help with Reading Planet Rocket Phonics by joining our Facebook Group.
Yes. Rocket Phonics provides all the planning and resources needed to deliver a complete SSP programme that will equip children for success in the Phonics Screening Check in Year 1, as well as meet or exceed the expectations of the National Curriculum for reading.
Meet the author
Abigail Steel is an education consultant, trainer and author specialising in English language and literacy. After spending two decades working closely with hundreds of schools and teachers in the UK and across the globe, Abigail knows what truly drives positive outcomes for children. Often described as inspirational, her approaches to the pedagogies behind teaching and learning are both practical and insightful.
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