GLF Schools

GLF Schools

GLF Schools was founded in 2012 in order to enable the federation of Glyn School (an academy in 2011) and Danetree Junior School. Together, we began our journey to become a MAT of more than 1000 talented staff working with over 10,000 children in 40 schools across 5 regions in southern England.

Our Schools

Banbury Region

Banstead Region

Berkshire & Hampshire Region

Caterham Region

Crawley Region

Didcot Region

Epsom Region

London Boroughs

Redhill Region

Sunbury & Camberley Region

Phonics

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Subject Overview

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Federation, we teach Read Write Inc. Phonics as a structured and systematic approach to help children develop essential reading and writing skills.  Read Write Inc. is designed to support early literacy by teaching phonemic awareness, decoding, and blending in a fun and engaging way.  By focusing on sounds and their corresponding letters, we ensure that children can confidently decode unfamiliar words and build their reading fluency.

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Federation we believe that early and consistent exposure to phonics lays a strong foundation for lifelong literacy, fostering both academic success and a love for reading.  Read Write Inc. is particularly beneficial because it adapts to each child’s learning pace, ensuring that every student, regardless of their starting point, can achieve success in reading and writing.

Curriculum Intent

Through the systematic teaching of Read Write Inc. our aim is to provide a structured approach to teaching reading and writing that supports our children in becoming confident, competent, fluent and enthusiastic readers and writers, by delivering a phonics-based curriculum that is systematic, inclusive, and engaging.  Through the teaching of the Read Write Inc. curriculum, we focus on:

  1. Early Literacy Development: To establish strong foundational skills in phonics, enabling our children to decode and encode words accurately and confidently from an early age.

  2. Inclusive and Supportive Learning: To cater to the needs of all learners, including those who may struggle with reading or writing, by providing a consistent and accessible approach that ensures the children can make progress at their own pace.

  3. Fluency and Comprehension: To help our children not only read words but also develop the skills to understand what they read. This is achieved through guided practice, storytelling, and comprehension activities.

  4. Motivation and Enjoyment: To foster a love of reading and writing by using engaging stories, characters, and books that appeal to young learners and encourage regular practice.

Progressive Learning Path: To ensure that our children build on their phonics knowledge gradually, starting with simple sounds and progressing to more complex words, fostering a sense of achievement and motivation.

Curriculum Implementation

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Federation our overall approach across Reception to Year 2, through the teaching of Read Write Inc. is:

  • Phonics Sounds and Blending: We use the Read Write Inc. structure to teach sound-letter correspondence and emphasise blending and segmenting as core skills.
  • Repetition and Practice: Our children benefit from regular practice of their phonics skills through reading, writing, and speaking.
  • Groupings for Support: We group children based on their phonics knowledge so they receive tailored support, learn at their challenge point and progress at their own pace.
  • Assessment and Tracking Progress: Regular assessments help us to track each child's progress, ensuring they are moving through the program at the right pace.
  • Parent Involvement: We encourage parents to support their child's reading and phonics learning at home. Providing parents with support, resources, tips and suggestions.

By following this structured approach across Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, we can ensure that our children develop strong phonics, reading, and writing skills that will support their literacy development for years to come.

Curriculum Impact

At Pine Ridge and Lorraine Federation, we measure the impact of our Read Write Inc. phonics program through a combination of key assessments and feedback. This includes tracking results from the Year 1 phonics screening check and ongoing progress assessments within the RWI program, which are carried out at the end of each half term by the reading lead. We also monitor improvements in reading fluency, comprehension, and writing skills across the school, alongside regular teacher observations and student engagement during lessons. Additionally, we gather feedback from parents about their children’s progress at home, ensuring a holistic approach to evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

What a typical lesson looks like

EYFS

  • All lessons begin with a speed sound lesson, where children are taught to identify, read and write a new Set 1 single letter sound.
  • Children are taught to write single letters using corresponding rhymes.
  • Children then learn how to blend sounds into words, first using magnetic boards, and then using green cards to blend independently.
  • Once children are secure in all their Set 1 sounds and can blend, they begin reading short ‘ditty’ texts. Just like in KS1, they practice story words linked to the text, read the text in partners, learn how to answer questions relating to the text, and complete ‘hold a sentence’ activities.
  • Storytime instils a love of reading and supports vocabulary development.

KS1

  • All lessons begin with a speed sound lesson, where children are taught to identify, read and write Set 1, Set 2 or Set 3 ‘Special Friends’. Children who are secure in their sounds learn strategies to read and spell longer words, and to build fluency.
  • Spelling is taught explicitly, and children learn how to use sound knowledge to spell accurately.
  • Children are given strategies to read story words, and teachers share the meaning of and celebrate tricky words.
  • Children practice reading sounds, reading words and reading their story book in pairs. Children are always engaged in their learning as one partner points and one partner reads.
  • Children discuss questions with partners and develop comprehension skills by answering ‘find it’ and ‘prove it’ questions.
  • Lesson cycles include ‘hold it’ activities where children hold a sentence in their head and then write it down, supporting SPaG and vocabulary understanding.

SEND and Inclusion

Read Write Inc-lusive

Our Read Write Inc. phonics programme is designed to be inclusive for all children, whatever their need.

  • Our Online Assessment quickly identifies those children who need support and the exact support they need. 
  • Our children are taught at their challenge point in small groups and/or by one-to-one tutoring. 
  • Our tutoring programme mirrors the incremental teaching steps used in the main programme, while ensuring teaching meets every child’s needs. 
  • We follow the SEN Code of Practice and take a ‘graduated approach’ to working with pupils with SEND – assess, plan, do, review. 
  • We make strong connections with the new learning being taught. Practice and repetition then strengthen the memory.

How can I support my child in Phonics?

How Read Write Inc. Phonics Works - A Parent/Carer Guide
Understanding how Phonics Works for Parents/Carers
How to help your child learn the Read Write Inc. Phonics Sounds
How to listen to your child read a Read Write Inc. Storybook
Why read to your child?
10 things to think about when you read to your child