Read, Write, Inc. Phonics

Read, Write, Inc Phonics is a whole school initiative which we have adopted at our school. It is an inclusive literacy programme for all children learning to read. It is aimed at children reading at Level 2b or below and teaches synthetic phonics. Children learn the 44 common sounds in the English language and how to blend them to read and spell. The scheme includes both a reading and a writing focus.

Reading is the key that unlocks the whole curriculum so the ability to efficiently decode is essential. The R.W.I sessions are expected to occur each day with no exceptions, as the continuity and pace of the programme is key to accelerating the progress of children’s reading development.

Aims and Objectives.

To teach children to:

  • Apply the skill of blending phonemes in order to read words.
  • Segment words into their constituent phonemes in order to spell words.
  • Learn that blending and segmenting words are reversible processes.
  • Read high frequency words that do not conform to regular phonic patterns.
  • Read texts and words that are within their phonic capabilities as early as possible.
  • Decode texts effortlessly so all their resources can be used to comprehend what they read.
  • Spell effortlessly so that all their resources can be directed towards composing their writing.

Teaching and Learning Style

This is based on the 5 Ps.

Praise – Children learn quickly in a positive climate.

Pace – Good pace is essential to the lesson.

Purpose – Every part of the lesson has a specific purpose.

Passion – This is a very prescriptive programme. It is the energy, enthusiasm and passion that teachers put into the lesson that bring the teaching and learning to life!

Participation – A strong feature of R.W.I. lessons is partner work and the partners ‘teaching’ each other (based on research which states that we learn 70% of what we talk about with our partner and 90% of what we teach).

It is important to remember to never give up! Every child can learn to read if you persevere.

Delivery of Phonics

  • Initial sounds are to be taught in a specific order.
  • Sounds taught should be ‘pure’ i.e. ‘b’, not ‘buh’ as this is central to phonic teaching and ability to recognise sounds in words.
  • Blends are to be declustered. E.g. bl is two specific sounds.
  • Children are to be taught that the number of graphemes in a word always corresponds to the number of phonemes. This greatly aids spelling.
  • Set 2 sounds are to be taught after Set 1 (initial sounds).
  • Letter names are to be introduced with Set 3.
  • R.W.I. across the school

Foundation Stage:

R.W.I. is fully implemented in Reception but the class will not be split into groups until the initial sounds have been taught. Once the sounds have been taught assessments will take place to determine groupings.

Sessions will take place daily between 9.00-10.30am. Within this time a 10 minute speed sounds session will occur with follow up handwriting sessions while children access continuous provision, in line with the EYFS.

Key Stage One:

R.W.I. groups will be set following assessments carried out by the R.W.I manager. The sessions will occur daily for 1 hour. These sessions will replace literacy teaching from the Literacy Framework with a 10 minute Speed Sounds session followed by Reading and

Get Writing!

Sessions.

Once children ‘come off’ the programme they will then access literacy and language sessions.

Sessions will take place daily from 9.30-10.10am.

Key Stage Two:

R.W.I. groups will take the form of an intervention during literacy sessions for those children with the greatest need in Year 3/4-RWI. The rest of the children will be taught using Literacy and Language in class from Yr2-6.

SEN/Able Pupils:

SEN pupils are fully involved in R.W.I. lessons as all pupils work in ability groups and teaching is geared to the speed of progress of each group. 1:1 tuition (if and when needed) will be identified by the RWI manager if required.

Able pupils are catered for as groups are based on ability and there is the flexibility to accommodate gifted younger pupils within groups of older children.

Other Reading interventions and initiatives:

At St Luke and St Philip’s we follow a comprehensive school-wide reading strategy, emphasising daily practice and a structured progression from phonics to advanced comprehension. All pupils receive a book bag and a home reading record to facilitate parent-school communication.

Home reading and Guided Reading:

In EYFS and Key Stage 1, reading is centered on the Read, Write, Inc. (RWI) phonics program. Children take home RWI-specific books, Ditty sheets, and "Tricky Word" bookmarks. They are assessed half-termly, and their home reading book band is only changed once new RWI sounds are mastered.

Years 1 and 2 transition from intensive phonics sessions towards the Key Stage 2 model.

In Year 2 and Key Stage 2, home reading uses a coloured-banded system, with pupils encouraged to change their books three times a week, pending teacher assessment of fluency. The school strongly monitors home reading, offering rewards for consistency and escalating intervention for non-readers.

In-school KS2 reading includes phonics interventions, weekly use of Oxford Reading Buddy and dedicated morning sessions to support any children who may need further support. To encourage a love for reading, class novels are read every morning. During the twenty minutes Guided Reading sessions in the afternoons, the novels, non-fiction text (linked to curriculum topics) and poetry are further explored. These sessions focus on teacher-led modelling, vocabulary development, comprehension quizzes and modelling answers to SATs-style questions.