Whitehill Primary School & Nursery
Developing confidence, ambition and independence through the highest aspirations for all

Read Write Inc

At Whitehill Primary School, we use Ruth Miskin’s ‘Read Write Inc’ synthetic phonics programme to teach our pupils from Nursery through to Year 2, to read accurately and fluently with good comprehension. The programme has a structured teaching sequence and is designed to deliver high quality sessions encompassing all the skill and knowledge required to succeed in both the beginning stages of reading, writing and spelling. The programme is progressive in its stages including higher level stories, spelling and comprehension.  

Staff are dedicated to ensuring that every pupil at Whitehill Primary School learns to read with accuracy and confidence, and sees reading as a pleasurable activity. Read Write Inc sessions are taught on a daily basis, as the continuity and pace of the programme is key to accelerating the progress of children’s reading development. 

Data shows that expected outcomes (percentages of pupils achieving expected levels) for the Year 1 Phonics check and the end of Key Stage 1 reading and writing have continued to grow. 

Read Write Inc – 5 underlying principles 

  • PACE – Good pace is essential to the lesson. Pupils are active and involved in a fun creative way. The aim is for the pupils to complete the programme as quickly as possible.
  • PRAISE – Pupils learn quickly in a positive climate. Teacher’s praise the pupils constantly throughout the teaching sessions and the pupils are encourages to praise each other.
  • PURPOSE – Every part of the lesson has a specific purpose. The teacher will set this purpose at the beginning of the lesson so that the pupils know exactly what they will be learning.
  • PARTICIPATION – ALL pupils take part in ALL parts of the lesson. Full participation is gained through partner work and choral response.
  • PASSION – Staff are passionate about teaching and the benefits of the Read Write Inc programme. Staff enthusiasm is passed on to the children. 

Pupils are assessed termly using the RWI assessment sheets, groups are then reorganised to ensure that pupils are in the most suitable teaching group. Progress is recorded on the RWI tracking sheets. Support will be put into place for pupils who have been identified as not making expected progress. 

Read Write Inc