Letters

Dear Parent/Carer,

Read, Write Inc reading groups from September 2022

As you already know, we successfully introduced Read Write Inc (RWi) as our school’s phonics and reading scheme in 2020. This was introduced during the pandemic which meant that children worked in groups across their year only. Due to the relaxation of risk mitigation to our Covid risk assessment, it is now appropriate to introduce homogenous groups throughout Years 1 -5, this will mean groups could contain a range of children from Year 1 to Year 5. We apologise that this is only happening now, however our priority at the time was the safety of the children. Research shows that grouping children homogenously is the most effective way to teach phonics/reading to children and this is where they make the most progress. Homogenous grouping requires children to be grouped according to their current reading ability and not grouped by age, class or year. Homogenous grouping is standard practice within Read, Write Inc. and happens in all schools that use it.

Homogenous grouping will start week beginning 12.9.22. If your child is currently on the Read, Write Inc. programme, then they will have been put in a group that matches their current reading ability and end of summer term 21/22 assessment. Read, Write Inc. groups will predominantly include children from Year 1 -3, with a few children joining from Years 4 and 5. This is a positive but big change for the children and staff have put procedures in place which mean the children are fully supported to access their group successfully. We will spend time with the children this week in helping them safely arrive at their group and settling them in. Read, Write Inc. groups change every six weeks, so your child will change groups every six weeks. With regular reading practice, this group may change more quickly.

Now that we are grouping homogenously, there may be some children who will initially re read books that they have read before. Please know that this is because these books most closely match your child’s reading ability and sometimes children require revisiting texts from time to time. If you are worried about the book level your child has been put on, then please speak to your child’s class teacher in the first instance.

All children who are reading books on the Read, Write, Inc. reading scheme will all complete phonics, reading and spelling activities between 9-10am, daily. Each reading group will be led by a reading teacher (either a class teacher or LSA), who will match the learning to suit the needs of the children.

Reading home learning:

• Your child will come home with a RWi black and white reading book. The children will have read the RWi black and white book and be familiar with this story throughout the week. Please ask your child to read this book to you five times a week,
• Your child will also bring home a book bag book which your child will not have read but is closely aligned to the RWi black and white book, so they can practise skills learnt in that week’s lessons. Please ask your child to read this book to you five times a week,

Coming soon:

• Over the summer we have been renovating our playground bus to transform it into a reading bus! We are excited to introduce this fantastic new opportunity to our school community later in this academic year.
• We are so pleased to get back to our usual routine of having parents and carers in to hear our children read. We will be creating a ‘Reading Champion’ role for any parents/carers who wish to be involved in our drive to increase reading for pleasure. Please message your child’s class teacher on Class Dojo if you wish to part of this exciting venture.

Many thanks

The English team.