Phonics and Early Reading

Our Approach to Teaching Phonics and Early Reading

Phonics teaching within our school follows the Read Write Inc (RWI) scheme, a systematic and rigorous approach designed to develop children’s foundational reading and writing skills through daily, engaging lessons. The RWI programme is structured to ensure that phonics instruction is explicit, cumulative, and differentiated to meet the individual needs of each child.

Approach to Teaching:

RWI uses a synthetic phonics approach, teaching children to decode words by blending individual sounds (phonemes) together. The programme prioritises clear, direct teaching of letter sounds and corresponding graphemes, alongside the development of oral blending, segmenting, and spelling skills. Teachers employ a multi-sensory approach, incorporating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities to reinforce learning and maintain high engagement.

Lesson Structure:

Each RWI phonics lesson is fast-paced and follows a consistent format to maximise learning and retention. Lessons typically begin with a ‘speed sounds’ session, where children quickly review and practise known sounds to build fluency. This is followed by teaching new sounds or revising previously taught ones. Children then practise reading and writing words using these sounds through decoding and encoding activities, supported by both whole-class and targeted group work. The session ends with reading a fully decodable text that consolidates the sounds and words learned that day, allowing children to apply their phonics knowledge in context.

Matching Children’s Phonic Knowledge to Independent Reading Books:

Children are grouped according to their phonics knowledge and progression through the RWI stages. Independent reading books are carefully matched to these stages to ensure texts are fully decodable and appropriate to each child’s current phonetic skills. This alignment supports confidence, fluency, and comprehension, as children are able to independently read texts containing familiar sounds and words, fostering positive reading experiences and accelerating progress.

Regular assessment and monitoring ensure children are placed accurately within the scheme and that their reading materials evolve in complexity as their phonics knowledge deepens. This targeted approach promotes success and motivation, ultimately leading to confident, fluent readers.

Keep Up Not Catch Up:

Ongoing formative assessment is embedded within the RWI programme to identify any children who may be struggling to keep pace with their peers. Teachers use regular, detailed assessments of phonics knowledge and reading fluency to swiftly identify gaps in learning. In line with the ‘Keep Up Not Catch Up’ ethos, children who require additional support receive rapid, targeted intervention within the same school day to prevent gaps from widening.

This rapid intervention approach ensures children do not fall behind but continue to build phonics skills alongside their peers. Small group or one-to-one sessions focus on reinforcing specific sounds or decoding skills, delivered by trained practitioners who use the RWI intervention materials aligned with the main programme. This timely and focused support helps maintain momentum in phonics progression, fostering confidence and enabling all children to access age-appropriate reading materials as soon as they are ready.