English
Early Reading and Systematic Phonics
At our school, we use Read Write Inc. (RWI) to deliver a systematic synthetic phonics programme, providing children with the essential knowledge and skills needed to become confident, fluent readers. Through daily, carefully structured lessons, children learn to recognise letters and their corresponding sounds, blend sounds to read words and develop their early spelling skills. As they progress, children apply their phonic knowledge to increasingly complex texts, developing accuracy, fluency and comprehension. High-quality stories, rhymes and opportunities to read for pleasure are central to our approach, nurturing a lifelong love of books and reading. We regularly assess children's progress and provide targeted support where needed, ensuring every child has the opportunity to develop the strong foundations needed to become a successful reader.
Reading for Pleasure
We understand how important developing a love of reading is and are committed to helping every child become a lifelong reader. Reading for pleasure goes hand in hand with the teaching of phonics and word reading. While Read Write Inc. provides children with the systematic teaching they need to become accurate, fluent readers, we nurture a strong culture of reading for enjoyment, helping children discover the magic of books, stories and language. Every child takes home a library book each week, encouraging families to share stories and enjoy reading together. Throughout the year, we celebrate reading through our involvement in the Liverpool Festival of Reading, World Book Day and visits and events with authors. In EYFS, our story-based Stay and Play sessions invite families into school to share in the joy of stories and develop positive reading habits from the very beginning. Through these experiences, we aim to inspire every child to enjoy reading, develop a genuine enthusiasm for books and carry a love of reading with them throughout their lives.
We use Literacy Counts’ Ready Steady Read Together to support the development of confident, fluent and thoughtful readers. The programme places high-quality texts at the heart of reading, helping children develop their fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills while deepening their understanding and enjoyment of literature. Through carefully structured teaching, children are supported to explore texts, discuss characters and events, develop inference skills and express their own ideas and opinions. The approach encourages rich discussion and enables children to build on their prior knowledge as they develop increasingly sophisticated reading skills. Ready Steady Read Together complements our systematic phonics teaching by supporting children to move beyond decoding towards understanding, interpreting and responding to what they read. Our aim is for every child to become a confident, capable reader who understands the power of reading and develops a lifelong love of books.
Ready Steady Write
At our school, we use Literacy Counts’ Ready Steady Write to support the teaching of writing through a carefully sequenced, text-based approach. We have chosen this programme because it places high-quality texts at the heart of writing, inspiring children through engaging stories, rich vocabulary and meaningful writing opportunities. The approach develops children’s knowledge of language, sentence structure, punctuation and composition, enabling them to become confident and effective writers. Through carefully structured units, children explore texts, develop their understanding of the features of different genres and build towards producing their own independent writing. The programme supports progression in writing skills across the school, ensuring that prior learning is revisited and new knowledge is built upon. It also complements our commitment to developing a love of reading, recognising that children who experience rich stories and language have a strong foundation for becoming successful writers. Through Ready Steady Write, we aim to develop enthusiastic, capable and independent writers who can communicate their ideas clearly, creatively and confidently for a range of purposes and audiences.
Ready Steady Spell
At our school, we use Literacy Counts’ Ready Steady Spell to support the systematic teaching of spelling and help children develop the knowledge and strategies needed to become confident, accurate spellers. The programme provides a structured approach to spelling, building on children's phonics knowledge and developing their understanding of spelling patterns, rules and conventions as they progress through the school. Through explicit teaching, modelling, practice and opportunities to apply learning in their writing, children develop a growing understanding of how words are constructed and spelt. Ready Steady Spell supports progression across year groups, ensuring that prior knowledge is revisited and new learning builds upon secure foundations. We recognise that accurate spelling is an important part of effective written communication, and our aim is to equip children with the skills and confidence to spell increasingly complex words independently and apply their knowledge across all areas of the curriculum.
We use Grammarsaurus to support the explicit teaching of grammar, punctuation and sentence structure, helping children develop the knowledge and skills needed to become confident and effective writers. Through carefully structured teaching, children learn how language works, explore grammatical concepts and develop an understanding of how punctuation and sentence choices influence meaning. Grammar and punctuation are taught progressively, building on prior learning and providing opportunities for children to practise and apply their knowledge in their own writing. This approach supports our wider writing curriculum, including Literacy Counts’ Ready Steady Write, by ensuring children develop the technical knowledge needed to compose, edit and improve their work. Our aim is for children to become increasingly accurate, independent and purposeful writers who can communicate their ideas clearly and confidently across a range of genres and subjects.
Nelson Handwriting
We use Nelson Handwriting to support children in developing fluent, legible and confident handwriting. The programme provides a structured approach to teaching handwriting, helping children develop correct letter formation, consistent letter size, spacing and the joins needed for fluent cursive writing as they progress through the school. Through explicit teaching, modelling and regular practice, children develop the fine motor control and handwriting habits needed to write accurately and efficiently. Skills are introduced progressively, building on prior learning and providing opportunities for children to practise and apply their handwriting across the curriculum. Nelson Handwriting supports our wider writing curriculum by helping children develop the automaticity needed to focus on the content and composition of their writing. Our aim is for every child to become a confident, independent writer who can produce clear, legible handwriting.
Simple ways parents can support reading and writing at home
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Share a story every day, even for just five or ten minutes. Talk about the pictures, characters and what might happen next.
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Practise phonics little and often, using the sounds and strategies taught in school. Follow the school's Read Write Inc. guidance.
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Read familiar books again. Repetition helps children develop confidence, fluency and understanding.
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Make writing meaningful. Encourage children to write shopping lists, birthday cards, labels, messages and pretend-play signs.
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Build vocabulary through conversation. Talk about new words, explain their meanings and encourage children to use them.
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Keep it enjoyable. Praise effort, celebrate progress and allow children to choose books and writing activities that interest them.
Useful websites for reading and writing
1. Ruth Miskin Literacy – Read Write Inc.
Helpful videos showing parents how to practise sounds, blend words, read RWI storybooks and support early spelling and handwriting.
Free parent resources and videos.
Visit the parent and carer resources
2. Oxford Owl
Offers a free eBook library for ages 3–11, including Read Write Inc. books, alongside advice about phonics and reading at home. Registration is required for the free eBooks.
3. BookTrust
Ideal for families with babies and young children through to older primary pupils. Includes tips for sharing stories, choosing books, encouraging reluctant readers and enjoying reading together.
4. Words for Life
Provides free literacy activities, reading recommendations, phonics advice and ideas for developing children's speaking, listening, reading and writing through everyday activities at home.
5. BBC Bitesize
Useful for primary-aged children who want to practise English skills, including spelling, punctuation, grammar, reading and writing, through short explanations and activities.
6. National Literacy Trust
Offers family-focused ideas to develop a love of reading, including themed book lists, activities linked to children's interests and advice for different age groups.
Visit the National Literacy Trust