Advice & guides to help with reading

Helping children learn to read

Helping your child learn to read doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. With a few simple tweaks to your routine, you can turn everyday moments into real confidence-boosters (all without turning your home into a classroom!)

You'll learn:

• • How to make reading feel calm, positive and part of everyday life
• • Simple ways to keep your child engaged, even on the trickiest days
• • How to support your child’s reading journey with confidence

What is phonics?

If terms like phonemes and digraphs sound confusing, you're not alone! Once you get the basics, it's easy to support your child as they learn the sounds that form the building blocks of reading.

You'll learn:

• • The essentials of phonics and how it actually works
• • What key terms like phoneme, digraph and blending really mean
• • Simple ways to help your child master sounds and start building words

Tips on choosing books

Not sure which books will actually click with your child? You’re definitely not alone. With a few simple pointers, you can find stories that feel exciting, achievable, and perfectly pitched — without the guesswork.

You'll learn:

• • How to pick books that fit your child’s reading level and their interests
• • The tell-tale signs a book is too easy, too tricky, or spot-on
• • Easy ways to keep your child motivated and keen to turn the next page

Book bands

Book bands can be pretty complicated! We'll explain how they work, and help you figure out exactly where your child should start.

You'll learn:

• • How the UK book band system works and what each level means
• • Ways to figure out which band matches your child’s reading level
• • How to use book bands to choose books that build confidence, not frustration