Systematic Synthetic Phonics Programmes
Please click below for documents referred to in the Moving Forward with Phonics Webinars - September 2021
Government Accelerator Funding for Phonics
Publishers of Systematic Synthetic Phonics Programmes must complete a self-assessment process based on criteria, which are then reviewed by independent evaluators.
There is no statutory requirement for schools to choose one of the SSP programmes on the validated list. However, validation status indicates that a programme has been self-assessed by its publisher and judged by a small panel with relevant expertise and that both consider it to meet all of the DFE criteria for an effective systematic synthetic phonics programme.
A complete systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programme is one that provides:
- all that is essential to teach SSP to children in reception and key stage 1 years of mainstream primary schools
- sufficient support for children in reception and key stage 1 to become fluent readers
- a structured route for most children to meet or exceed the expected standard in the year one phonics screening check
- all national curriculum expectations for word reading through decoding by the end of key stage 1
The following is the list of validated SSP programmes, updated 30 January 2023:
Click on any of the links to learn more:
A Flying Start with Letters and Sounds
ALS Phonics: Letters and Sounds
Anima Phonics: Letters and Sounds Updated
Junior Learning Letters and Sounds
Lesley Clarke's Letters and Sounds
Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised
Schofield & Sims My Letters & Sounds
Smart Kids Letters and Sounds - The Code
Sound Start Phonics for Letters and Sounds
Programme (based on Letters and Sounds)
Wand Phonics with Phonics International and/or No Nonsense Phonics
For more information on the phonics validation process go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/choosing-a-phonics-teaching-programme/list-of-phonics-teaching-programmes