If a child hasn't started connecting any letter sounds by age 5-6, or shows no interest in books or sounds at all, it's worth mentioning to the school or a paediatrician — not because something is necessarily wrong, but because early support makes a bigger difference than waiting.
Phonics work is most effective when it's woven into everyday moments rather than confined to homework time — reading cereal boxes together, sounding out shop signs on a walk, or noticing rhyming words during a car ride. These small, low-pressure moments often do more than structured practice sessions, and they don't feel like "another class" to a child who may already be juggling school and tuition.