At East Sheen Primary School, we believe every child should learn to read with confidence and develop a lifelong love of books. We teach early reading through Read Write Inc. (RWI), a structured phonics programme that helps children learn to decode words quickly and accurately.

What is Read Write Inc.?

Read Write Inc. teaches children the relationship between letters (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes). Children are assessed regularly and taught in small groups appropriate to their stage of learning, helping them make strong progress.

Throughout Reception, Year 1 and, where needed, Year 2 and beyond, children learn to:

• Recognise and read sounds quickly
• Blend sounds to read words
• Segment words into sounds for spelling
• Read both familiar and unfamiliar words confidently
• Develop fluency and comprehension

We also hold parent phonics workshops to explain how phonics is taught and how families can support reading at home.

Reading at Home

Children take home:

• A Read Write Inc. Book Bag Book matched to their current phonics level
• A shared reading book for parents and children to enjoy together
• A library book chosen to encourage a love of reading

We strongly encourage families to read together every day.

Key Read Write Inc. Vocabulary

Speed Sounds

The sounds children learn to recognise and read quickly and automatically.

Green Words

Words that can be sounded out and blended, such as cat, shop and mat.

Red Words

Common words that cannot always be sounded out using phonics, such as to and go. These are learned by sight.

Special Friends

Two or three letters that make one sound, such as:

• Digraphs: sh, ch, ea
• Trigraphs: igh, air

Fred Talk

A key feature of Read Write Inc. where children learn to blend sounds together. For example, d-o-g becomes dog.

Fred Fingers

A strategy used for spelling, helping children identify and count the sounds in a word before writing it.

The Phonics Screening Check

In June of Year 1, all children take the national Phonics Screening Check. The check assesses a child's ability to use phonics to read both real and nonsense words. Children who do not meet the expected standard will receive additional support and retake the check in Year 2.

How You Can Help at Home

• Read with your child every day.
• Share stories and talk about books together.
• Encourage your child to choose books that interest them.
• Ask questions about stories and characters.
• Let your child retell favourite stories or create their own.
• Make reading a regular and enjoyable part of family life.

For further information about Read Write Inc., visit:

Oxford Owl Read Write Inc. Guide
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/read-write-inc-phonics-guide/