An independent impact study has found that an early phonics program designed for children in their first years of schooling is helping to strengthen oral language, confidence and early literacy skills.
The Rocket Phonics First Steps program, based on Phases 1–2 of Letters and Sounds, was trialled across 13 early years settings, including 11 primary schools, one special school and one standalone nursery.
Released in early 2025, the report found that the structured, play-based program supported children’s progress across multiple areas of development. Educators said the approach helped them quickly identify pupils who were struggling with particular sounds, while also boosting staff confidence through clear daily lesson plans and easy-to-use resources.
Participants described noticeable improvements in children’s phonemic awareness, vocabulary and engagement with early reading. Compared with children from settings that had not used the program, pupils who had followed First Steps were “more secure in their learning” and familiar with the structure of a daily phonics session, the report noted.
One teacher involved in the trial said the focus on speech and language development had been particularly valuable.
“We love First Steps and think it’s great. We really like the way it’s planned and how children develop the speech sounds. This is so important for our children who come in lacking vocabulary and language. We feel it’s both a phonics and language program.”
Educators also highlighted the program’s flexibility, noting it could be adapted for different settings and children’s needs. Many of the schools that had been using it for a term or longer said they would recommend it to others.
While First Steps focuses on early oral communication, phonemic awareness and emergent handwriting, it also aims to build a love of reading through nursery rhymes, interactive stories and child-centred games.
The full impact report will be published soon, with several participating schools sharing case studies of how they implemented the approach within their early years provision.
Rocket Phonics First Steps forms part of the broader Rocket Phonics suite, which includes a complete Systematic Synthetic Phonics program for children aged 4–6 and Next Steps for ages 6–7.
First Steps aims to:
- 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.
