About Us

Funics was founded by Rachael and Helen who have always had a passion for teaching and caring for young children. The business was born out of many years of experience and a desire to assist and educate both young people and their carers. We wanted to bring a sense of the fun and excitement of early language learning alongside skills which will genuinely benefit their reading and writing journey before starting formal school.

Funics Teaching Fun with Phonics Preschool Letter Formation
Funics Teaching Fun with Phonics Preschool Classes
Funics Teaching  Fun with Phonics Song Sack Story
Funics Teaching Fun with Phonics Dexterity
Funics Teaching Read Fun with Phonics Preschool Letter Formation
Funics Teaching Read Fun with Phonics Preschool Classes
Funics Teaching Fun with Phonics Song Sack Story
Funics Teaching Fun with Phonics Dexterity

Our Founders

Helen Downes

Helen Downes Team Funics Fun with Phonics Preschool Teacher

Having trained and worked as a teacher for several years I took a career break to have my own children. Returning to work took a slight shift in direction with a wonderful few years working in the music service visiting lots of different schools, a wild foray into semi-professional photography, a stint as specialist teacher in art and music, working for several years in early years in a large school (with Rachael) and now I find myself as a storyteller and choir conductor on days when I am not wearing my Funics hat - it makes for a varied and interesting life!

It was working together in the EYFS unit of a large Worcestershire school which cemented both our friendship and a work ethic which has created Funics. We love working together, we have so much fun! And we hope we can pass both our expertise and enthusiasm to all the families we become connected with.

Rachael Hartless

Rachael Heartless Team Funics Fun with Phonics Preschool Teacher

I started working life as an Au Pair in the USA and then nannying in the UK. This led to teacher training and experience in a couple of small schools with mixed age classes. I have now been teaching in the same school for 13 years. Each experience has given me such an invaluable insight into how children develop and learn but none so much as the joys and challenges of having my own daughter.

Observing and helping children to overcome their challenges in learning was part of the motivation for founding Funics. So many of the challenges seemed to come from gaps in early learning and I wanted to try and help other children and their carers recognise and address these earlier.

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Rolls of Masking Tape

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Flyswatters

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Big Red bus

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Sparkly Pom Poms

What our parents say