The Reading Head Start sales page, captured 2026-09-23
Reading Head Start review
A home phonics programme for parents teaching a young child to read
By the RJ Editorial Team. Sales page checked 2026-09-23. Last updated 2026-09-23.
Is it worth it?
Your child is six and reading isn't clicking. Other kids in the class have moved on to chapter books and yours is still guessing words off the picture, and the nightly ten minutes of practice has turned into a fight neither of you wants. That's usually who ends up here. Reading Head Start is a phonics-first programme you do at home in short sessions, sitting next to your child. The method isn't exotic. Systematic phonics (sounds, then blending, then words) is what most schools use and what the research supports. What you're paying for is having it laid out in order, videos and worksheets ready, so you're not inventing a lesson at 7pm. Be straight about the page though. It's a short message to parents and a footer, and it tells you almost nothing: no price, no lesson count, no age range, no refund terms. Billing is recurring, so it's a subscription. Find the renewal amount and how to cancel before you hand over a card. Claims about how fast a child will read are the seller's promises, not results you've been shown. If you'll genuinely sit down with them four or five times a week, it can be decent value next to a tutor's hourly rate. If you want something that teaches while you cook dinner, look elsewhere.
Pros
- Phonics approach lines up with what most schools teach
- Short sessions that fit after school
- Far cheaper per week than a private tutor
- You see exactly where your child is stuck
Cons
- Recurring billing, so it keeps charging until you cancel
- Page gives no price, no age range and no refund terms
- Useless unless a parent actually sits down and does it
What you get
It's an online phonics programme you log into, not a box that arrives. Expect video lessons a parent works through with the child, printable worksheets and practice pages, and a set order to follow rather than pick-and-mix. The page you land on is a short message to parents and doesn't itemise the modules, so check the order form for exactly what your plan includes.
Before you buy
- Check the renewal price and how to cancel, in writing, on the order form
- Confirm the refund window before paying
- Ask your child's teacher which reading method the school uses so you're not pulling in two directions
Who it suits
Parents of roughly 3 to 9 year olds who can commit 10 to 15 minutes most days
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