Reading and Phonics

At Jerome, we use Read Write Inc (RWI) to teach Phonics in a robust and systematic way. This is used from Nursery to Year 2 with some KS2 children accessing the RWI Fresh Start Programme. RWI is used by more than a quarter of the UK's primary schools and is designed to create fluent readers, confident speakers and willing writers.

This approach:​

• Gets children decoding and comprehending quickly. The ‘three reads’ approach ensures that all children gain accuracy, fluency and a good understanding of the text.
• Ensures children read storybooks and non-fiction books matched to their growing phonic knowledge.
• Leaves no child behind. With initial and on-going assessment to track every child’s progress.
• Celebrates success from the very beginning! Lively stories are both age appropriate and closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and ‘tricky’ words and as students re-read the texts, their fluency increases.
• Ensures the children learn to read effortlessly so that they can put all of their energy into comprehending what they read. It also allows them to spell effortlessly so that they can put all of their energy into composing what they write.   

Please click the links below for our Phonics Curriculum Statement and Progression document:

Phonics Curriculum Statement

RWI Progression Document

Using RWI to read, the children will:

• Learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letter/letter groups using simple picture prompts
• Learn to read words using Fred Talk
• Read lively stories featuring words they have learned to sound out
• Show that they comprehend the stories by answering questions 

When using RWI to write, the children will:

• Learn to write the letters/letter groups which represent 44 sounds
• Learn to write words by saying the sounds in Fred Talk
• Write simple sentences 

RWI teaches sounds for each grapheme in the following order:

Set 1: m a s d t i n p g o c k u b f e l h sh r j v y w th z ch qu x ng nk

Set 2: ay,ee,igh, ow (snow), oo (poo), oo (look), ar, or, oor, ore, air, ir, ou, oy, oi.

Set 3: ea, oi, a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e,aw, are, ur, er, ow (brown), ai, oa, ew, ire, ear, ure, tion, tious, cious, e (he)

RWI Assessment

At the beginning of the RWI all children follow a 4 week sounds programme. Children are placed in homogenous groups and their progress is constantly monitored through the teaching process. Groups are re-assessed every 6-8 weeks. Groups are re-organised if children have progressed beyond their groups.

Home Reading Books

To generate a love of reading at an early age, Nursery children take home a 'Read With Me' library book of their choice from their class reading area. From Reception to Year 2, children take home their most recent RWI book, matched to their Phonics ability. When children have completed the RWI programme, and when in KS2, children take home an Oxford Reading Tree book that is matched to their reading level. In addition to their reading book, all children are encouraged to take home a 'Read With Me' book of their choice, from the class or school library. There books are not matched to reading levels.

RWI Workshop for Parents- September 2022

A copy of the slides shared in the workshop are below.

 Fresh Start Programme

Read Write Inc. Fresh Start is a catch-up and intervention programme with proven results. Fresh Start works on the same teaching and learning principles as RWI Phonics and includes the same activities. The resources are age appropriate to capture the interest of older students. It aims to get children reading accurately and fluently as quickly as possible so they can access lessons across the curriculum.

Reading Plus

Reading Plus is a web-based program that builds upon the foundational skills of phonics and phonemic awareness to develop silent reading fluency, comprehension (deeper understanding), and re-engaging reluctant readers in 'Reading for Pleasure'.

Aimed at pupils in KS2 and above, Reading Plus has a readability range from Y2 to beyond GCSE. Using a unique Guided Window system, Reading Plus accelerates silent reading speed and increases pupil’s stamina.

Reading Plus consists of 3 areas: Reading, Vocabulary and Visual Skills. 

At Jerome we use Reading Plus as part of our Guided Reading lessons, for child led intervention, and for homework.