Phonics and reading intervention is a focused approach to supporting students who have a gap in their phonics knowledge; affecting their vocabulary, grammar or confidence in reading texts. The course is teacher-led and uses the Abigail Steel KS3 phonics workbook scheme.

Students undertake the National Grammar and Reading Test (NGRTs) twice yearly and are identified for the course if their reading age is lower than their chronological age. A baseline diagnostic assessment is then carried out to check the student’s ability to identify the correct spelling to a sound. If gaps in this knowledge are identified, they are asked to commence onto the program.

The program consists of three workbook levels; each level takes approximately 12 weeks to complete. A student can commence the program at any level dependent on their need. When the course ends, the student retakes the baseline assessment to record the increase in their phonics knowledge.

Rapid plus is a reading intervention that helps students with reading confidence, comprehension, spelling, phonics and fluency around texts we read together.

The programme is delivered over a 10-week period in which students are allocated times during the day. The aim is that students attend Rapid Plus 3-4 times over their two-week timetable for 20 minutes.

The Rapid plus programme introduces books from the starting stage of 3A that goes up to stage 9. The stage the students start on is dependent on their NGRT (National guided reading tests) results. Students participate in the NGRT tests in September and May. The data is then analysed and I can determine the correct stage for each individual child and their needs. The Rapid plus books contain a non-fiction text and a fiction text for the students to discover.

Rapid plus boosts confidence, spelling and grammatical knowledge, all enhancing students’ literacy skills.

All students receive a letter of completion, a certificate and a golden ticket at the end of their intervention period.

Despite the name, Dyslexia Gold is a program that caters for students who have been identified through NGRT data collection as finding reading and spelling difficult, not just those with a diagnosis of dyslexia. Combined with other interventions such as phonics, it can help students close the gap on their peers. The program runs during tutor time 3 days a week – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and lasts for 15-20 minutes; the website is also accessible from home so, if students miss any sessions they can easily catch up.