2. About Fresh Start – secondary schools

2. About Fresh Start – secondary schools

Who is it for?

Fresh Start is a systematic synthetic phonics programme for struggling readers aged 9 – 13+. In secondary schools, it is for students who:

  • did not meet national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2
  • have missed schooling or are late arrivals into school
  • are new to the UK education system
  • are learning English as an additional language.

 

There are still too many students leaving primary school who read too slowly to take in the meaning of what they are reading. These students cannot access the curriculum – and only 10% will gain a GCSE in Maths and English.

This is these students’ last chance to succeed at school. Let’s stick with them until they can really read.

How does it work?

Fresh Start accelerates students’ reading accuracy, fluency and stamina in just 25 minutes a day. Students make as much as two years’ progress in only two months.

  • Quick diagnostic assessment. Students start at their highest point on the programme for speedy progress, whether this is for accurate decoding or for reading fluency – or both.
  • Daily phonics lessons at each student’s ‘challenge point’. Students progress quickly because they learn and review letter-sounds and words at their level.
  • Motivating age-appropriate Modules*. Older readers enjoy applying their new phonic knowledge to engaging matched decodable stories and non-fiction texts.
  • Face-to-face training. We meet you at your starting point, helping you understand the processes that underpin learning to read and write – often new to secondary reading tutors.
  • Flexible organisation. You can teach Fresh Start flexibly depending on the number of students who need it in your school, and the number of staff you have available.
  • Mirrors the DfE’s 2023 Reading Framework and Ofsted guidance. You can be confident you have everything covered.

 

*Now includes 10 compelling new Modules that reflect students’ everyday experiences and backgrounds.

“School leaders understood the need to identify specific reading gaps and weaknesses and made sure that the staff working with struggling readers were trained to teach reading.”

‘Now the whole school is reading’: supporting struggling readers in secondary school. 

Ofsted Guidance 2022

Time required for teaching

To ensure students make the speediest progress, they are ideally taught individually for the first 16 Modules. They then progress to working in small progress groups. They are taught for 25 minutes each day throughout the programme. The duration depends on each student’s starting place. Students starting later in the programme will only need a few weeks’ tutoring; others starting at the beginning need two or three terms.

Fresh Start works even if you’re short of time and staff.

Students make the speediest progress with Fresh Start when they are taught individually. If, however, you have insufficient adults to teach them one-to-one: teach the first four students who are the lowest point individually until they can be taught together. Then repeat this with the next four students, and the next as you build up the programme in your school.

The Reading Leader

A Reading Leader coordinates the teaching. They organise practice sessions for the reading tutors, assess student’s phonic progress half-termly, and ensure tutors’ time is protected so tutoring can take place every day. The Reading Leader might be the English or Literacy Lead, or the SENCO.

Students with SEND

Older students with SEND are sometimes better taught using Read Write Inc. Phonics One-to-one Tutoring. This programme is designed to be fully inclusive. Although designed for younger pupils, it uses a smaller-step approach and provides a greater amount of practice.

We can help you make this decision – contact us here.

The importance of teaching students to read

Fresh Start, 34 decodable Modules for students who read hesitatingly and find it difficult to read new words. 

The role of the reading leader

Organisation, assessment and focused support for struggling readers.

Impact on progress

Students and teachers talk about increased reading ages and confidence.

Assessment and grouping

 

Assess pupils’ phonic knowledge before they start the programme, and every half term. Teach those at the early stages of the programme one-to-one.

Well-trained reading tutors

 

Pupils make rapid progress when they have individual support from an enthusiastic and well-trained tutor – either a teacher or teaching assistant.

Home support

 

The Virtual Classroom has over 600 phonics films to send home and pupils take home their Fresh Start module and an anthology every week.

Next step: read about our training and support

Who is it for?

Fresh Start is a systematic synthetic phonics programme for struggling readers aged 9 – 13+. In secondary schools, it is for students who:

  • did not meet national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2
  • have missed schooling or are late arrivals into school
  • are new to the UK education system
  • are learning English as an additional language.

 

There are still too many students leaving primary school who read too slowly to take in the meaning of what they are reading. These students cannot access the curriculum – and only 10% will gain a GCSE in Maths and English.

This is these students’ last chance to succeed at school. Let’s stick with them until they can really read.

How does it work?

Fresh Start accelerates students’ reading accuracy, fluency and stamina in just 25 minutes a day. Students make as much as two years’ progress in only two months.

  • Quick diagnostic assessment. Students start at their highest point on the programme for speedy progress, whether this is for accurate decoding or for reading fluency – or both.
  • Daily phonics lessons at each student’s ‘challenge point’. Students progress quickly because they learn and review letter-sounds and words at their level.
  • Motivating age-appropriate Modules*. Older readers enjoy applying their new phonic knowledge to engaging matched decodable stories and non-fiction texts.
  • Face-to-face training. We meet you at your starting point, helping you understand the processes that underpin learning to read and write – often new to secondary reading tutors.
  • Flexible organisation. You can teach Fresh Start flexibly depending on the number of students who need it in your school, and the number of staff you have available.
  • Mirrors the DfE’s 2023 Reading Framework and Ofsted guidance. You can be confident you have everything covered.

 

*Now includes 10 compelling new Modules that reflect students’ everyday experiences and backgrounds.

“School leaders understood the need to identify specific reading gaps and weaknesses and made sure that the staff working with struggling readers were trained to teach reading.”

‘Now the whole school is reading’: supporting struggling readers in secondary school. 

Ofsted Guidance 2022

Time required for teaching

To ensure students make the speediest progress, they are ideally taught individually for the first 16 Modules. They then progress to working in small progress groups. They are taught for 25 minutes each day throughout the programme. The duration depends on each student’s starting place. Students starting later in the programme will only need a few weeks’ tutoring; others starting at the beginning need two or three terms.

Fresh Start works even if you’re short of time and staff.

Students make the speediest progress with Fresh Start when they are taught individually. If, however, you have insufficient adults to teach them one-to-one: teach the first four students who are the lowest point individually until they can be taught together. Then repeat this with the next four students, and the next as you build up the programme in your school.

The Reading Leader

A Reading Leader coordinates the teaching. They organise practice sessions for the reading tutors, assess student’s phonic progress half-termly, and ensure tutors’ time is protected so tutoring can take place every day. The Reading Leader might be the English or Literacy Lead, or the SENCO.

Students with SEND

Older students with SEND are sometimes better taught using Read Write Inc. Phonics One-to-one Tutoring. This programme is designed to be fully inclusive. Although designed for younger pupils, it uses a smaller-step approach and provides a greater amount of practice.

We can help you make this decision – contact us here.

The importance of teaching students to read

Fresh Start, 34 decodable Modules for students who read hesitatingly and find it difficult to read new words. 

The role of the reading leader

Organisation, assessment and focused support for struggling readers.

Impact on progress

Students and teachers talk about increased reading ages and confidence.

Assessment and grouping

 

Assess pupils’ phonic knowledge before they start the programme, and every half term. Teach those at the early stages of the programme one-to-one.

Well-trained reading tutors

 

Pupils make rapid progress when they have individual support from an enthusiastic and well-trained tutor – either a teacher or teaching assistant.

Home support

 

The Virtual Classroom has over 600 phonics films to send home and pupils take home their Fresh Start module and an anthology every week.

Next step: read about our training and support

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