Our Vision
At Alexandra, we believe every child deserves the best start in their reading and writing journey. Reading opens the door to learning! The more a child reads, the more confident they become. A confident reader can tackle new and exciting books, which leads to even more learning and discovery.
Our Approach
What is Read Write Inc.?
The UK Government strongly recommends using synthetic phonics to teach early literacy skills. Synthetic phonics helps children break words down into sounds, making reading and spelling easier. RWI follows this method, teaching children letter sounds and how to blend them into words.
That’s why we use Read Write Inc. (RWI)—a structured phonics programme developed by Ruth Miskin. This approach is used in over a quarter of UK primary schools and is designed to help children become fluent readers, confident speakers, and enthusiastic writers.
The Read Write Inc. programme meets the higher expectations of the new curriculum and uses effective assessment to accelerate every child’s progress.
Our Curriculum
Reading
With RWI, children will:
- Learn 44 letter sounds through simple prompts
- Blend sounds to read words (Fred Talk)
- Read lively, engaging stories featuring the words they’ve learned
- Show their understanding by answering ‘Find It’ and ‘Prove It’ questions
Writing
With RWI, children will:
- Learn to write letters and letter groups for the 44 sounds
- Spell words by breaking them into sounds (Fred Fingers)
Speaking & Listening
RWI also builds communication skills! Children will work in pairs to:
- Answer questions and discuss ideas
- Take turns talking and listening
- Give each other positive feedback
Assessment
With RWI, Children are:
- Regularly assessed
- grouped according to their reading ability
- Work with a trained teacher or teaching assistant
Additional opportunities & ways to help at home
Blending Sounds
Support your child by helping them blend sounds into words (Fred Talk). For example:
- c-a-t = cat
- sh-o-p = shop
Encourage them to say the pure sounds clearly (e.g., ‘m’ not ‘muh’, ‘s’ not ‘suh’), then blend them smoothly into words.
Read Write Inc. Books
Your child will bring home a book they’ve already read at school. Before reading, help them:
- Go through the speed sounds page
- Read the green and red words (tricky words)
- Check the vocabulary page to understand key words
By the time they bring the book home, they should read it fluently and with expression. At the back of the book, you’ll find ‘Find It/Prove It’ questions—try these with your child!
A Little Extra Tip
Don’t worry if your child struggles at first—they will get there in their own time! Reading bedtime stories together is a fantastic way to build vocabulary and foster a love of reading.
Thank you for supporting your child’s reading journey!