Education expert James Clements runs through everything you need to keep your child’s reading skills developing during the school lockdown.
Learning at home: Learning to read
read more
Blog posts for: Reception
What are reading schemes and why do they matter?
Educational publishing expert Andrea Quincey explains why reading schemes are important, and what the different colours, bands and levels actually mean.
Big Words for Little People
A series of picture books created by the language experts at Oxford University Press to introduce young children to the words they need to make sense of their feelings.
Learn to read with phonics
What is phonics? Find out in our phonics guide for parents. Learn about Letters and Sounds, the phonics screening test, and how to practice phonics at home.
Learning at home: Reading to learn
Education expert James Clements talks about how children who are already confident readers can get the most out of their reading.
Start calculating with Numicon
It can be hard making the jump from counting numbers to calculating. Sheila O’Reilly shares activities to introduce your child to addition and subtraction.
Reading: Age 4–5 (Reception)
Find out how your child’s reading skills will develop in Reception. Discover fun activities, ideas, and books to support your 4–5-year-old at home.
Fun maths games and activities
Have fun practising your maths skills with these games, activity sheets, and videos.
Science at primary school
Science at primary school is practical and exciting. Children love the chance to learn through being totally hands-on and finding things out for themselves — the perfect way to understand the world around them.
How Numicon can help develop maths skills at home
Early Years teacher and mother Sheila O’Reilly shows us how the 1st Steps with Numicon at Home kit can support your child’s early maths development.
Learning at home: What can we learn from teachers?
Education expert James Clements talks about the lessons we can learn from teachers about helping your child to learn at home.
Ordering and counting with Numicon
Early Years teacher and mother Sheila O’Reilly shows us how to use Numicon shapes to help your child learn to count and order numbers.
Brilliant picture books: 22 beautiful books for children under 5
Wendy Cooling MBE has selected her favourite illustrated books to help you introduce your child to the wonders of stories and storytelling.
Getting ready to start school
Read our top five tips for getting your child school-ready, download our Starting School checklist and print a certificate for your child.
What to expect in Reception (age 4–5)
Find out what literacy and maths skills your child will learn in Reception, and discover ways you can support their learning at home.
Learning at home: What would they be learning at school?
Education expert and writer James Clements explains what your child would be learning at school, and how we can use (or not use) the curriculum at home.
Learning to tell the time
Telling the time is an important skill in everyday life, but it can be tricky to learn. You can start to increase your child’s awareness of time from a young age with simple activities and games.
Biff, Chip and Kipper: Rhyming Games Flashcards
These exciting rhyming games encourage children to practise their letters and sounds. They will help your child link groups of letters with their sounds, recognise rhyming words, develop memory and concentration skills and develop early reading and spelling skills.
Learning at home: How to prioritise sharing a book
Education expert and writer James Clements talks about the importance of reading to your child to boost their educational success in all sorts of ways.
Teaching number bonds (without any screens)
Lots of schoolwork is being set online at the moment. Here is one example from education expert James Clements of teaching maths skills without a screen.
Learning at home: Things to get ready for next week
Education expert and writer James Clements suggests 6 practical things you get get ready over the weekend for next week’s learning at home.
Reception at primary school
Reception means most children’s very first step into formal schooling, and can be both exciting and nervewracking! Find out what to expect and what your child will be learning.
All Aboard: journey into a world of learning
Beautifully illustrated and engaging stories introduce key early learning concepts, are great to share with young children from age 2 and up.
Learning at home: Making a start
Educational expert and writer James Clements gives his 3 top tips of how to get started with teaching your child at home.
Maths is everywhere!
Maths expert Louise Pennington shares her advice for developing your child’s maths skills during school closures by exploring maths in the real world.
Learning at home: Buying yourself some time
Education expert James Clements shares his ideas for keeping the children busy – in a constructive way – when you need to be getting on with something.
Five ways to improve maths home-learning
Maths expert Andrew Jeffrey shares five easy-to-implement strategies that can make a positive difference to our children’s maths learning at home.
Common reading issues
Tackle common reading problems with our expert advice on supporting struggling readers, engaging reluctant readers, and encouraging boys to pick up a book.
Biff, Chip and Kipper: Stories and Activities Stage 1, Book B
This Stories and Activities book contains two Biff, Chip and Kipper stories in an appealing comic-strip format, along with a wealth of fun activities that will help your child to practise sounds, letters and early reading skills at home.
Nelson Handwriting: Fine motor control
Reception | Age 4–5. Develop fine motor control.
Biff, Chip and Kipper: Stories and Activities Stage 2, Book A
This Stories and Activities book contains two Biff, Chip and Kipper stories in an appealing comic-strip format, along with fun activities that will help your child to practise sounds, letters and early reading skills at home. Find out what happens when Kipper’s teddy has an accident and read how Ron the rook comes to the rescue!
Biff, Chip and Kipper: Stories and Activities Stage 2, Book B
This Stories and Activities book contains two Biff, Chip and Kipper stories in an appealing comic-strip format, along with fun activities that will help your child to practise sounds, letters and early reading skills at home. Find out what happens when Chip loses his backpack and read about a silly rainy day in the garden!
Biff, Chip and Kipper: The Sing Song and Other Stories
Have fun with the family at a singing competition, see Chip dress up as a king and find out what happens when Floppy finds a juicy bone! This collection contains two phonics books and two stories. Tips for parents and fun activities help you and your child to enjoy reading together.
Biff, Chip and Kipper: Super Dad and Other Stories
Watch Biff and Chip look after the hens, go on two space adventures with Kipper and find out how Wilf’s dad saves the day! This collection contains two phonics books and two stories. Tips for parents and fun activities help you and your child to enjoy reading together.
Biff, Chip and Kipper: Wet Feet and Other Stories
Help Kipper choose a new hat, go fishing with Wilf and join Floppy on an adventure in the desert! This collection contains two phonics books and two stories. Tips for parents and fun activities help you and your child to enjoy reading together.
Nelson Handwriting: Trace numbers and words
Reception | Age 4–5. Trace and write numbers and words 1–5.
Phonics: The Town Mouse and Country Mouse and Other Tales
This beautifully illustrated Stage 1 book is filled with the traditional stories of The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse; The Gingerbread Man; The Enormous Turnip; and Get the Rat. The tales have been re-written so that children can read for themselves and develop their phonics skills.
Biff, Chip and Kipper: The Duckling and Other Stories
Discover how Wilma rescues a duckling in trouble, go on a monster hunt with Gran and find out what happens when Kipper gets stuck! This collection contains two phonics books, two stories, tips for parents, and fun activities to help you and your child enjoy reading together.
Nelson Handwriting: Trace letters
Reception | Age 4–5. Trace and write letters: ck.
Settling in at primary school
Our top tips for helping your child get used to their busy new school routine.
Numicon: 1st Steps with Numicon at Home Kit
The First Steps with Numicon at Home Kit has been designed for parents and carers of pre-school children (aged 3–5) and uses a multi-sensory approach to help develop essential maths skills during the Foundation Stage and early Key Stage 1.
Biff, Chip and Kipper: Stories and Activities Stage 1, Book A
This Stories and Activities book contains two Biff, Chip and Kipper stories in an appealing comic-strip format, along with a wealth of fun activities that will help your child to practise sounds, letters and early reading skills at home.
Phonics: The Bucket Rocket and Other Stories
Read about Buzz’s dream of going into space in his big, red bucket and join Fang as he faces his fear of the dentist! Contains six Read with Oxford stories.
Printable Numicon shapes
Don’t have Numicon shapes at home? Download, print, and cut out these free Numicon shapes.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: z
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ow, o-e, oa
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: n
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ng
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: nk
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: o
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: oo (long)
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: oo (short)
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: oo, u-e
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: oo, u-e, ew
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: or
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: or, aw
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ou
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ou, ow
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ow
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ow, o-e
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: oy
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: y
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: th
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: x
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: w
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: v
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ure
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: u
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: tion
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: t
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: oy, oi
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: sh
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: s
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: r
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: l
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: qu
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: p
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: m
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ay, a-e
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: k
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: e
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: a
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: air
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: air, are
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ar
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ay
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ay, a-e, ai
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: b
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: c
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: j
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: cious, tious
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: d
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ch
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise writing the Set 1 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ear
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: igh, i-e
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ire
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ee
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ir, ur
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 3 Speed Sounds.
Speed Sounds practice sheet: ir
Read Write Inc. Phonics activity sheet to practise reading words containing the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
Copyright Oxford University Press 2021
