At Wessex Primary School, we hold high aspirations for all our pupils and provide opportunities, at all levels, for our children to develop the reading skills needed to access education and promote a love for reading.

Our pupils learn to read and write effectively and quickly using the Read Write Inc. phonics programme. Read Write Inc. meets the expectations of the curriculum and uses effective assessment to accelerate every child’s progress.

The programme is for:  

• Pupils in Reception to Year 2 who are learning to read and write
• Any pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 who need to catch up rapidly and follow the Catch Up and Fresh Start programmes.

In Read Write Inc. phonics, pupils:

• Decode letter-sound correspondences quickly and effortlessly, using their phonic knowledge and skills
• Read common exception words on sight
• Understand what they read
• Read aloud with fluency and expression
• Write confidently, with a strong focus on vocabulary and grammar
• Spell quickly and easily by segmenting the sounds in words
• Acquire good handwriting.

Book Matching

Pupils read books that are closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and the common exception words. This is so that, early on, they experience success and gain confidence that they are readers. Re-reading and discussing these books supports their increasingly fluent decoding.

Feedback and marking

Instant, verbal, and written feedback is given to every child daily during the daily phonics session and fast track tutoring sessions.

Assessing and tracking progress

Pupils are assessed on entry after which they are assessed approximately every six weeks. Data is used to assign pupils to a Read Write Inc. Phonics group. Every child is tracked to monitor progress over time. This gives a clear indication of how well they are making progress relative to their starting points. Children who are new to the English language (EAL), identified as Special Educational Needs (SEN) or do not make the expected progress, are identified and receive fast track tutoring, within the school day

Role of the Read Write Inc. Lead

• Carry out termly phonic screening assessments in order to track progress. This data allows for intervention in different ways for example, quickly move pupils to another group if they are progressing faster than their peers. Those who continue to need targeted support, have one-to-one tutoring so that they ‘keep up’ not ‘catch up’ with their peers.
• Ensures the teaching of reading is of the highest quality and all pupils make progress.
• Ensures the lowest 20% of pupils are making good progress and arrange one-to one tutoring for identified pupils who need extra support.
• Coaching of groups to give advice to reading teachers and to informally check that pupils are in the correct groups through learning walks and scrutiny of work.
• Provides further training (through RWI portal, coaching/ observation and pathway training)
• Oversees the assessment of all Reception & Key Stage 1. Reviews assessment data to organise pupils to the correct RWI groups.
• Lead and support parent’s RWI sessions.
• Work collaboratively with Reading Lead, Deputy Headteacher, Headteacher and reading teachers to discuss pupil progress.

Parents and Carers

• Parents and Carers are invited to an initial meeting and workshops to show how they can support their children read at home.
• Activities are regularly set on Seesaw for children to complete activities at home.
• When appropriate, children take home a reading book which matches their phonics knowledge.
• Resources on the parent page on the Ruth Miskin Training website is shared: http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents/