At Greenwood Primary, we are committed to developing confident, fluent and enthusiastic readers, and reading sits at the heart of everything we do.

We follow Read, Write Inc. (RWI), a highly structured and effective phonics programme developed by Ruth Miskin. RWI is carefully designed to support children of all abilities to make rapid progress in reading and writing, while also helping to nurture a lifelong love of books and reading.

Central to the programme is the energetic teaching of systematic synthetic phonics. Children learn the 44 common sounds in the English language and how to blend these sounds to read words (decoding). Alongside this, they develop their spelling and writing skills (encoding).

As children become more confident readers, they are supported to develop their comprehension skills and to compose their own ideas in writing. They enjoy reading engaging, carefully matched storybooks that closely align with their phonics knowledge, ensuring early success and building confidence as readers.

The Read, Write Inc. programme begins in the Foundation Stage (Reception) and continues throughout Key Stage 1. Children take part in a daily, structured programme of reading and writing activities, carefully designed to build skills step by step.

Children are regularly assessed every 6–8 weeks to ensure they are working in the group that best meets their needs, allowing teaching to be closely matched and progress to be maximised. All staff at Greenwood Primary are fully trained in the delivery of the Read, Write Inc. programme, ensuring consistency and high-quality teaching for all pupils.

Google Classroom to Support Read, Write Inc. at Home

To help you support your child’s phonics learning at home, we use Google Classroom to share Read, Write Inc. resources with parents and carers.

Once you know which Read, Write Inc. group your child is in, you can access the correct Google Classroom in one of two ways:

• By clicking the relevant group link provided in the document emailed out to you, or

• By entering the Google Classroom code for your child’s group

Inside your child’s Read, Write Inc. Google Classroom, you will find:

• Helpful phonics and pronunciation videos

• Resources linked directly to your child’s current reading group

• Guidance to support your child as they progress through the programme

These materials are designed to mirror the teaching your child receives in school, helping you to support correct pronunciation, blending and reading strategies at home.

If you are unsure of your child’s RWI group or need help accessing Google Classroom, please speak to your child’s class teacher, who will be happy to support you.

Working together, we can help your child build confidence and success as a reader. 

The Phonics Screening Check

All children in Year 1 take part in a national phonics screening check, introduced by the Government. The check usually takes place in the first half of the Summer term.

The purpose of the check is to give teachers and parents a clear picture of how well children are using their phonics knowledge to read words, and to identify whether any extra support may be needed.

During the check, children are asked to read 40 words:

• 20 real words
• 20 made-up (alien) words, which help show how well children can use their phonics skills rather than relying on memory

The check is carried out one-to-one with a familiar teacher in a calm and supportive environment. Children are encouraged to do their best, and the experience is kept as relaxed and positive as possible.

You can find more information about the phonics screening check on the government website.

What Happens After the Check?

Our phonics teaching does not stop once children have completed the phonics screening check. We continue to teach phonics until children have the knowledge and confidence to read fluently and independently.

Children who need additional support receive:

• Targeted one-to-one reading support
• Carefully planned interventions to help accelerate progress

At Greenwood, pupils in KS2 who are reading below age-related expectations receive extra support, including the Fresh Start Read Write Inc. intervention programme, to help them catch up quickly and build confidence as readers.

Our aim is for every child to leave Key Stage 1 as a confident, capable reader who enjoys reading and feels successful.