Year 1 Set 23 Decodable Readers - Short e in head, friend, said, says, any and many

Want to try a set for free? Explore Foundation Set 01, Year 1 Set 01 or Year 2 Set 01.

Compare less predictable spellings for the short e sound. The set draws together examples such as head, friend, said and many, giving students explicit practice with the particular words and patterns taught.

This set connects four short books with practical phonics work. The paired editions use the same text and matching artwork, so you can choose Black and White or Colour for the reading session. The companion returns to the sounds and spellings used in the books through guided practice, word work and connected reading and writing.

What's included

• One-page Table of Contents PDF.
• A Friend Can Help (Fiction; 6 A5 pages including the cover; supplied in Black and White and Colour).
• How Many Hats? (Fiction; 6 A5 pages including the cover; supplied in Black and White and Colour).
• Bread (Non-fiction; 6 A5 pages including the cover; supplied in Black and White and Colour).
• Heads (Non-fiction; 6 A5 pages including the cover; supplied in Black and White and Colour).
• Ten-page phonics companion:

1. Reading and teaching guide

2. One sound, different spellings

3. Read the words

4. Build and write words

5. Change one sound

6. Sort the spellings

7. Make a sentence

8. Listen, write and check

9. Read and match

10. Read, try and reflect

Learning focus

Short e in head, friend, said, says, any and many. Group short e examples by spelling, build and spell words, and read and write meaningful sentences.

Using the readers

Introduce the focus spellings and any words needing support. Model sounding out and blending, read a book together, then revisit it for accurate, smoother reading and discussion. Use the companion to link spoken sounds, written spellings and meaning. Support the activity directions as needed.

Readiness and placement

Use after the Foundation sequence and Year 1 Sets 01-22, with the current focus explicitly taught before independent reading. The year label describes the collection; choose the set using the student's taught code and current reading needs.

Formats, page counts and printing

Total supplied PDF pages: 35

Page-count breakdown: 35 supplied PDF pages = 24 landscape A4 reader pages across both editions + 10 portrait A4 companion pages + 1 portrait A4 Table of Contents page. Each landscape reader sheet contains two portrait A5 pages. Both editions and all covers are included.

Reader format: Landscape A4 PDF sheets with two full portrait A5 pages per sheet.

Companion format: Ten portrait A4 pages.

Download format: ZIP containing the PDF resources.

Checking support: Teacher guidance and checking prompts are within the companion. There is no separate answer-key PDF.

Print reader PDFs at actual size on single-sided landscape A4. Cut down the centre, order the numbered portrait A5 pages and staple at the left. Print the companion on portrait A4. The two editions contain the same books and matching artwork.

Digital download; no physical product is shipped. The full preview contains every supplied PDF page, with clear opening Table of Contents pages and a red PREVIEW label on every following resource page.