At Old Mill, reading is at the heart of everything we do. Our aim is to develop strong foundations in early reading through the systematic teaching of phonics using the Read Write Inc. (RWI) programme. Phonics underpins our approach to reading and writing in the Early Years and Key Stage 1, with the goal of ensuring that all children leave Key Stage 1 as fluent readers who are equipped with the skills necessary to decode and comprehend texts effectively.
The intent behind our phonics approach is to:
Ensure all pupils develop secure phonics knowledge to decode words effectively.
Enable every child to become a confident and fluent reader by the end of Key Stage 1.
Instil a love of reading through early success and confidence, promoting a life-long love for books and reading.
Encourage our children to see themselves as readers for both pleasure and purpose.
For children to apply their phonics knowledge during reading and writing sessions and across the curriculum.
Encourage learners to be independent, resilient and have a stamina for reading.
Daily phonics sessions
At Old Mill, we have fidelity to the Read Write Inc scheme. Read Write Inc. is a structured programme which is a fast paced and rigorous, ensuring children are highly engaged throughout. Teachers teach RWI using a detailed, proven step-by-step teaching scheme. Phonics is taught daily from the outset in the Early Years Foundation Stage (30 minutes) to ensure that children develop strong early reading skills from the outset. In Year 1 phonics lessons are delivered four times a week (40 minutes). During Year 2, children finish the programme and move away from RWI.
Intervention (keep-up sessions)
Our approach is to help children ‘keep-up rather than catch up,’ so we provide prompt intervention for those who need additional support. Keep-up sessions match the structure of class teaching and use the same strategies and resources but in smaller steps with more repetition. Any child who continues to require phonics support will receive it through targeted interventions, which may extend into Year 3 and beyond if necessary, to ensure all pupils become confident, fluent readers.
Reading books
Pupils read books that are closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and ability to read ‘tricky words’; so they experience early reading success and gain confidence that they are readers. Regular assessments ensure that children are placed in a group that reflects their phonic knowledge and reading ability, whilst providing appropriate challenge. SEND and Pupil Premium children are targeted for regular 1:1 reading, along with any other children we feel would benefit from this.
Home reading
Each week, pupils take home decodable reading books that are matched to their secure phonics ability. Children are encouraged to read their book 3 times as this encourages confidence, fluency and understanding.
First read: your child will probably be decoding words (sounding out) and trying to read accurately which means they aren’t fully really for meaning.
Second read: your child will be hopefully be reading accurately, developing fluency and pace.
Third and final read: your child can read for pleasure and understanding of the text. Once your child can read their book fluently, they can practise using expression- this is a real opportunity to use their storytelling voice.
Activities are sent home to support learning at school.
Parents in EYFS are invited to Read Write Inc. parents information evening held in the Autumn term.
Reading for pleasure
We read to children every day during whole class story time. We choose these books carefully as we want children to experience a wide range of diverse books, including books that promote mental health and well-being, other worlds and cultures, inclusivity and representation. Each week, children in EYFS and Year 1 choose a book for pleasure that they take home and share with an adult.
Every classroom has a book corner that encourages a love for reading. These include a range of fiction and non-fiction texts.
Training
At Old Mill, fully trained staff deliver phonics lessons in small homogeneous groups. Each RWI lesson consists of a Speed Sounds session followed by a reading session. Staff have access to comprehensive training and guidance through the RWI online portal, as well as detailed training manuals available both in a hard copy and digitally via our RWI Phonics membership to the Oxford Owl website. Teachers attend termly CPD sessions, where they can observe and discuss specific parts of the teaching process.
The Phonic Lead carries out Read Write Inc. regular assessments to ensure children are placed in the correct reading group every term. Assessments and teacher discussions ensure that children who need additional support are identified quickly, enabling timely intervention. Children in Year 1 take the Phonics Screening Check. Those who do not pass are closely monitored and resit the check in Year 2.
Beyond Key Stage 1
Once children complete the Read Write Inc. programme, they transition to a whole class reading curriculum, which is implemented through three key approaches: themed reading lessons, focused comprehension sessions, and book club activities. Book club is also introduced in Key Stage 1 to support early reading enjoyment, develop discussion skills, and foster a lifelong love of reading. At Old Mill, we use Accelerated Reader to track and monitor children’s reading habits at home and their progress.
RWI. is delivered with targeted support to ensure inclusivity for all learners, including those with SEND and Pupil Premium children. RWI Interventions are bespoke and tailored to individual needs, with one-to-one or small group sessions where necessary to close learning gaps and boost confidence.
Regular assessments inform planning, enabling staff to adapt phonics instruction and provide consistent, structured support that helps every child make progress in early reading.
If by Year 4, children continue to require additional reading support despite phonics intervention, they will begin The Top Triangle Reading Intervention (TTRI). This structured programme is specifically designed for Key Stage 2 pupils who have not made sufficient progress through phonics-based approaches. TTRI targets reading fluency, comprehension, and confidence, providing tailored support to help close the reading gap and promote long-term literacy development.
As a result of high-quality, systematic phonics teaching, children become fluent and confident readers by the end of Key Stage 1. They are able to decode unfamiliar words with increasing accuracy and speed, which enables them to access a wide range of texts and supports the development of their reading comprehension.
By securing strong phonics foundations early, pupils are well prepared to move from learning to read to reading to learn as they progress through the school. The majority of children meet or exceed the expected standard in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, and those who need additional support are quickly identified and provided with targeted interventions to ensure they catch up.
Please click here for a RWI.guide for parents.
Please click here for a video link to sounds pronunciation.and simple blending.
Old Mill Primary School
Station Road
Broughton Astley
Leicestershire
LE9 6PT
Old Mill Primary School
old_mill_primary_school
@OldMillPS