At Holy Trinity we use the Read Write Inc. (RWI) programme to ensure every child makes a fantastic start on their reading journey.  RWI is a rigorous and structured programme that teaches every child to read with fluency and confidence.  We follow this programme with absolute fidelity to ensure that our children get out of the ‘reading gateway’ and become enthusiastic readers and writers.  

We begin teaching RWI in the summer term for our nursery children, and the scheme is taught progressively from Reception to Year 2.  Children are taught each day in small groups to learn sounds and reading skills according to their ability.  Our Early Reading Leader, Miss Skipworth, assesses all children half termly so that we can place children into groups according to their phonics knowledge.  This ensures our teaching is precise so that every child makes rapid progress.  We carefully choose decodable books that are matched to each child’s phonics knowledge, so they can read with accuracy and confidence.  As they progress through the RWI programme, our children increase their fluency and develop their ‘storyteller voice’, using expression and intonation to show they understand the meaning of the text. 

Fast Track Tutoring

At Holy Trinity, we are determined to make sure every pupil learns to read so that no child is ‘left behind’.  Where needed, children undertake daily Fast Track Tutoring to ensure they ‘keep up, not catch up’ with their peers.  Children in need of support are identified during half termly assessments, and continue to be assessed every two weeks so that teaching and tutoring can be targeted to their individual challenge point.  Our Reading Tutors are experts in developing children’s knowledge of sounds, blending or fluency to enable our children to make excellent progress. 

Reading at Home

We encourage daily reading at home to ensure children make good progress and develop a love of reading.  In Early Years and Key Stage One, children are sent home with decodable phonics books matched closely to the sounds they know and are confident reading.  Children should read these books three times to develop accurate word reading, fluency and comprehension skills.  With every repeated read, children’s confidence and fluency should increase.  Each child’s bookbag should contain: a reading record book, a copy of the Storybook they have read in their RWI lessons, a matching Book Bag Book or a last/past RWI book and a library book for shared reading at home.  All children on RWI will also have access to the RWI Virtual Classroom at home, where they can revisit the phonics lessons they have been taught in school. 

Use the QR links at the bottom of this page to access the Virtual Classroom:

Please visit Ruth Miskin’s website for parents to find out more about RWI.  https://www.ruthmiskin.com/parentsandcarers/

Staff Training

The RWI Programme is securely embedded at Holy Trinity and we are now a Graduated School from the English Hub.  We receive regular training at Holy Trinity so that every adult can provide the very best reading teaching.  All of our Reading Teachers have a consistent approach to delivering phonics lessons, which ensures our children quickly learn the sounds they need to become confident readers.  Our Early Reading Leader, Miss Skipworth, works alongside staff, team teaches and delivers weekly training to ensure they are being upskilled constantly and that consistency continues. 

Outcomes

We are extremely proud of our outcomes in phonics and early reading.  Not only do a high percentage of our children reach the national expectation in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, they also develop their fluency at each stage of their journey, which means that they are ready for the demands of the KS2 curriculum by the end of Year 2.

Phonics Screening Results

2022 – 71%

2023 – 98%

2024 – 91%