Practical Approaches for Learners with SEND

One of the most important tasks and school leaders face is ensuring that every student, regardless of their learning needs, receives the right support to thrive in literacy. However, with the diverse range of challenges that learners can face—whether it’s dyslexia, language delays, decoding or comprehension difficulties—tailoring needs to meet these can feel overwhelming.

In this post, we’ll explore practical, adaptive approaches to reading intervention. These strategies aim to empower you to adjust interventions for supporting pupils with SEND as well as those in need from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Understanding the Diverse Needs of Learners with SEND

Learners with SEND often face a wide range of challenges that impact their ability to develop literacy skills. These may include:

• Difficulties with decoding: Struggling to break down words into sounds.
• Language processing issues: Difficulty understanding and using language effectively.
• Comprehension barriers: Challenges in understanding what they read or retaining information.

For these students, it’s crucial that interventions are adaptive and flexible. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so the key is to tailor your approach to each learner’s unique needs. This requires not only adjusting the content but also pacing and resources to ensure that every student has the right level of challenge and support.

Students may also benefit from frequent breaks, particularly when they are working on new or difficult concepts. These breaks can help reset focus and provide time for students to reflect on what they’ve learned.

Resource Selection: Providing the Right Materials

The resources you use play a significant role in how effectively students can progress in their literacy journey. It’s important to match the difficulty of resources to the learner’s level and needs. For learners with SEND, the resources should not only align with their current skills but also be motivating and engaging.

When selecting materials, consider the following:

• Levels of challenge: Choose resources that are appropriately challenging but not too difficult for the student to engage with successfully. Resources that are too simple will not promote growth, while those that are too complex can lead to frustration.
• Multisensory elements: Some learners may benefit from resources that engage more than one sense. For example, visual aids, tactile activities, or spoken instructions can help students better understand the material.
• Interest-based materials: Engage students with texts and topics they find interesting, helping them build motivation and a love for reading.

By selecting materials that are the right level of difficulty, you can ensure that students are constantly progressing and building new skills, while also keeping them engaged and motivated to continue learning.

Scaffolding: Supporting Independence While Building Skills

Scaffolding is an essential strategy for all learners but is particularly important in promoting independence in learners with SEND. Scaffolding allows pupils to build skills incrementally while still receiving the support they need to succeed. The goal of scaffolding is to help learners become more independent by providing targeted support that can be gradually removed as the student gains confidence and ability.

Key techniques for scaffolding include:

• Modelling: Initially, provide clear, step-by-step demonstrations of the task at hand. For example, when teaching reading comprehension, model how to read a passage aloud, highlight key information, and summarise the main points.
• Guided practice: Allow students to practice tasks with support. This might include working through a passage together, providing prompts or questions as they read, or discussing vocabulary words.
• Gradual release of responsibility: As students become more competent, gradually reduce the amount of support you provide. Start by offering more guidance and slowly move towards independent work, ensuring students are ready to take on tasks by themselves.

For example, when teaching a pupil to read a difficult text, start by reading aloud together and discussing the content. Over time, ask them to take over more of the reading, then support them with comprehension questions, and eventually let them read and answer questions independently.

Scaffolding allows learners to progress at their own pace, ensuring they have the tools to succeed even as the level of challenge increases.

Progress Monitoring: Tracking and Adjusting Intervention

Monitoring progress is essential to ensuring that the interventions you are using are working. Without regular assessments, it’s impossible to know whether a student is making the desired progress or if adjustments are needed. Ongoing progress monitoring also allows you to celebrate small victories, boosting students’ confidence and motivation.

Regularly track your students’ performance through formative assessments and observations. By collecting data on areas such as phonics, fluency, and comprehension, you can determine whether the pace and resources are appropriate or if adjustments need to be made.

If a student is struggling in a particular area—such as decoding or fluency—it may be necessary to adjust the focus of the intervention, providing more targeted support. Conversely, if a student is excelling, the level of challenge can be increased to ensure continued development.

Practical Tips for SENCOs

SENCOs play a vital role in shaping how literacy interventions are implemented in school. Here are some practical tips to help maximise the impact of interventions:

• Collaborate with teachers: Regular communication with classroom teachers is key to ensuring interventions are aligned with classroom learning. By working together, you can ensure that support is consistent and well-integrated.
• Use data-driven decisions: Regularly monitor student progress and use data to inform your decisions. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to make changes—whether it’s adjusting the pacing, selecting new resources, or altering the focus of the intervention.
• Offer ongoing support: For many students with SEND, literacy development is a long-term process. Ensure that there is a plan for continued support beyond initial interventions. This can include follow-up sessions, extended practice opportunities, or adjustments to the classroom environment.

Conclusion

Supporting learners with SEND in developing crucial literacy skills is an ongoing challenge. With the right strategies in place, you can help your students develop the skills they need to succeed. Tailoring interventions to suit each learner’s pace, selecting the right resources, scaffolding learning for independence and regularly monitoring progress are essential components of a successful literacy strategy.

By integrating these approaches into your practice, you can ensure that every student receives the support they need to build confidence and competence in reading, regardless of their learning needs. However, implementing these strategies effectively takes time and can be complex, requiring careful planning and adaptation. Utilising research-evidenced technology can help streamline this process, equipping teachers with the tools they need to provide targeted, effective support for SEND learners.

Looking for a Reading Intervention that Supports Both Pupils and Teachers?

If you’re looking for a solution to streamline and personalise your reading interventions, Lexia Core5 Reading and Lexia PowerUp Literacy offer tools that can help. These programmes adapt to each learner’s needs, offering a flexible, data-driven approach to literacy development.

Request a Demo to learn more about how Lexia can support your pupils. We are proud to partner with schools ensure every student reaches their literacy goals, no matter their learning journey.

3 Powerful Lexia Features You May Have Overlooked

Introduction

When it comes to maximising the impact of Lexia in your school, some of the most powerful tools are the ones that often go unnoticed. Beyond the familiar dashboards and progress reports, myLexia offers a range of hidden features that can transform the way educators track progress, target additional support, and enhance student learning.

In this article, we’ll explore three valuable features that you may not have fully explored. By making the most of these tools, you can gain a clearer picture of student progress, personalise support, and save valuable planning time.

1. Detailed Skills Reports: A Deeper View of Student Progress

While many are familiar with myLexia’s Class Overview and Class Progress reports, fewer are aware of the level of detail that can be gained from the student reports. The student-level Detailed Skills Report provides an in-depth look into an individual student’s strengths and needs, right down to the specific phoneme, high frequency word, or comprehension question type.

Why it’s Valuable

• Allows for targeted interventions by highlighting precise skill gaps.
• Supports progress tracking over time, ensuring that detailed evidence of literacy skills acquisition can be easily obtained and analysed.
• Provides clear and specific information to support discussions with colleagues and parents.

How to Access and Use

1. Log into myLexia and navigate to the student overview. This can be done by clicking on the student’s name from the Class Overview.
2. Select the button at the top right to view their Skills Report. A detailed version of this can be obtained by clicking on the name of a current or past level.
3. Use this report to identify areas of need by assessing the number of steps into Lexia’s instruction mode. The common errors column can also be used to identify and address any more specific issues, such as an issue with spelling a particular sight word.

2. The Resource Hub: Practical Teaching Tools at Your Fingertips

Lexia’s Resource Hub provides a veritable treasure trove of literacy resources, including structured lesson plans and printable activities, designed to reinforce key literacy skills. From comprehension passages and decodable readers to sticker charts and goal setting exercises, these resources can be integrated into classroom teaching, small-group interventions, or sent home as a homework

Why It’s Valuable

• Offers ready-to-use teaching resources aligned with students’ individual needs and abilities.
• Saves planning time by providing detailed intervention lesson plans and activities for skill reinforcement.
• Provides a host of additional, high-quality literacy and reading resources that cater to all ages and ability levels in school.

How to Access and Use

1. Log into myLexia and navigate to the Resources tab.
2. Click on the Core5 or PowerUp Resources Hub Link.
3. Browse a host of printable and digital resources to integrate into whole-class teaching, group interventions or 1-to-1 teaching. We recommend the ‘Support for Instruction’ area as a great place to start.

3. Skill Checks and Skill Builders: Assessing and Reinforcing Learning

Many are already aware of Skill Builders and their ability to provide printed offline practice and consolidation activities to ensure students have fully grasped key literacy skills. However, the introduction of Skill Checks in a recent update means that the delivery of these resources can be even more targeted and effective. Skills Checks serve as quick and subtle assessments at the end of each level to provide added progress and mastery information to the teacher.

Why it’s Valuable

• Enables targeted support and adaptive teaching. Skill Checks provide quick assessments that help pinpoint student mastery levels, ensuring that Skill Builders are used effectively for reinforcement where needed.
• Provides valuable data to inform further support and offers detailed insights into pupils’ understanding and skill mastery.
• Promotes stronger skills retention while ensuring that valuable teaching time is used as efficiently as possible.

How to Access and Use

1. When a student completes a level, check their assigned Skill Builders under the Action Plan tab in the Class Overview.
2. Use Skill Checks to assess proficiency in recently completed skills. Skills check scores can be found by accessing the student individual Skills Report. We recommend providing a Skill Builder for any skill score below 75% to enable to students to gain further practice and consolidation in this skill.
3. Print and distribute the activities for small-group work, independent practice, or homework.

Maximising the Impact of Lexia

By making the most of these powerful yet often overlooked features, you can gain a deeper understanding into student progress and deliver more targeted interventions to boost literacy progress even further. Whether it’s using Detailed Skills Reports to fine-tune interventions, exploring the Resource Hub for ready-made teaching resources, or taking advantage of Skill Checks and Skill Builders to reinforce learning, each tool is designed to help you maximise the impact of Lexia in your school.

Next Steps

• Explore these features in myLexia and consider how they can support your teaching strategies.
• Share this post with colleagues to help more educators make full use of these tools.
• For additional guidance, contact the LexiaUK Implementation and Support Team. We offer unlimited training and support to help you get the best out of Lexia.

Breaking Down Barriers for SEND Learners

For many pupils with special educational needs and disability (SEND), learning to read and write can be a significant challenge. Difficulties with phonics, comprehension, and spelling often lead to frustration, disengagement, and low confidence. Traditional, one-size-fits-all approaches may not provide the flexibility or reinforcement these learners need.

This is where multisensory learning can play a transformative role. By engaging multiple senses—sight, sound, movement, and touch—multisensory strategies help embed literacy skills in a way that feels natural and meaningful to pupils with SEND. In this article, we’ll explore how multisensory learning works, practical strategies that can be used in the classroom, and how technology can enhance these approaches to break down barriers for learners with SEND.

What is Multisensory Learning and Why Does It Work?

Multisensory learning involves using visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic-tactile pathways simultaneously to support literacy development. This approach is particularly beneficial for pupils with SEND, such as those with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, or speech and language difficulties. This tactile approach to learning through a wide range of modalities makes it more likely to work with the pupil.

Why is it effective?

• Supports memory retention – Engaging multiple senses strengthens neural connections, helping learners retain and recall information.
• Reduces cognitive overload – Breaking down complex literacy tasks into sensory-based activities makes them more manageable.
• Encourages engagement – Pupils are more likely to stay focused when lessons include movement, hands-on actions, and interactive elements. Spoken word activities and active participation are great teaching methods to encourage this.
• Caters to diverse learning styles – Some pupils learn best by hearing information, others by seeing it, and others by doing. A multisensory approach meets all these needs.

Multisensory instruction is not just a theory—it is backed by research and widely used in evidence-based literacy programmes to support struggling learners.

Practical Multisensory Strategies for Literacy

Visual Strategies

Engaging the visual sense can help learners understand and remember literacy concepts more effectively. Some simple techniques include:

• Colour coding – Assign different colours to sounds, word patterns, or parts of speech to help pupils distinguish between them.
• Graphic organisers – Use story maps, sequencing charts, and mind maps to support comprehension.
• Word walls and picture clues – Reinforce vocabulary with images alongside words to aid recall.

Auditory Strategies

Many learners benefit from hearing information repeated and reinforced through sound-based activities, such as:

• Phonemic awareness games – Clapping syllables, rhyming activities, or blending sounds aloud.
• Verbal repetition and echo reading – Reading aloud together or repeating words to build fluency.
• Text-to-speech tools – Using assistive technology to support independent reading.

Kinaesthetic and Tactile Strategies

For many pupils, movement and touch-based activities can make literacy learning more engaging and memorable:

• Air writing and tracing – Encouraging pupils to trace letters in the air or on textured surfaces (e.g. sand trays).
• Movement-based learning – Hopping on letters, jumping to syllables, or moving counters when segmenting words.
• Hands-on letter building – Using magnetic letters, Play-Doh, or foam letters to physically construct words.

Combining Modalities for Maximum Impact

The most effective multisensory strategies often combine two or more senses at once. For example:

• Say it, See it, Do it – When learning new words, pupils say the word (auditory), see it on a flashcard (visual) and write it in the air (kinaesthetic).
• Tactile phonics – Pupils use their fingers to trace over textured letters while simultaneously saying the sound aloud.

By incorporating multisensory techniques, teachers can create an inclusive, high quality classroom environment where all pupils can thrive in literacy learning.

How Technology Can Enhance Multisensory Learning

While hands-on activities are highly effective, digital tools can also provide valuable multisensory learning experiences.

Technology can:

• Adapt to individual learning needs, offering personalised pathways for pupils.
• Provide interactive, gamified experiences that engage learners through sound, movement, and visual elements.
• Deliver embedded scaffolded support, offering real-time corrective feedback with visual and auditory instruction, and guided practice to reinforce learning.

Breaking Barriers with Lexia Core5 Reading

At LexiaUK, we understand the importance of adaptive, multisensory learning in literacy development. Lexia Core5 Reading is designed with evidence-based multisensory techniques, supporting pupils through a structured, personalised programme that integrates visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic-tactile elements. Schools using Lexia have reported increased engagement, improved reading confidence, and measurable progress among their SEND learners.

Would you like to see how an adaptive, personalised and multisensory approach can support your pupils?

The Cost of Hidden Literacy Gaps

Literacy is the foundation for success across all subjects, yet gaps in reading comprehension and writing can often go unnoticed. These gaps can hinder their ability to engage with subject content, complete coursework, and succeed in exams. Because literacy difficulties do not always present in obvious ways, students may develop coping mechanisms that mask their struggles. This means that by the time gaps are identified, they may already be limiting academic potential.

This article explores how hidden literacy gaps can affect secondary students, the long-term consequences of leaving them unaddressed, and practical strategies to ensure that all learners can access and succeed in their education.

How Do Literacy Gaps Go Unnoticed?

Secondary schools naturally focus on subject-specific learning, assuming students have already acquired foundational literacy skills. However, literacy underpins success in all subjects such as understanding exam questions in maths, evaluating sources in history, or structuring an argument in science.

Some literacy gaps may also go unnoticed due to the way primary assessments are structured. For example, the heavy weighting of spelling in the SPAG SATs paper means that students who are strong spellers but have grammatical deficits may fly under the radar. As a result, secondary students with undiagnosed literacy difficulties may struggle with:

• Reading comprehension: Difficulty understanding and analysing complex texts, leading to surface-level learning.
• Academic vocabulary: Limited ability to access subject-specific language.
• Written expression: Struggling to structure responses effectively in exams and coursework.

Because secondary students often develop strategies to work around these issues—such as avoiding reading aloud or memorising content without fully understanding it—literacy gaps may not become apparent until exam results or disengagement highlight a deeper problem.

The Long-Term Impact of Hidden Literacy Gaps

Literacy difficulties don’t just affect academic achievement; they can have a lasting impact on a student’s future. Challenges include:

• Reduced academic engagement: Students who struggle to access texts in various subjects may withdraw from active participation.
• Limited exam success: Poor literacy skills can prevent students from effectively understanding and answering exam questions, even in non-English subjects.
• Fewer post-16 opportunities: Many college courses, apprenticeships, and career paths require strong literacy skills. Without targeted support, students may find their options significantly limited.

Proactive Strategies to Close the Literacy Gap

Addressing literacy challenges in secondary schools requires a whole-school approach that prioritises early identification, personalised intervention, and cross-curricular literacy development. A well-structured intervention programme can make a significant difference, ensuring that students receive the support they need to develop essential reading, vocabulary, and writing skills.

Key strategies include:

• Data-driven identification: Use assessment tools to gain insight into students’ reading and comprehension levels. Early detection allows for timely intervention before gaps widen. Digital solutions like Lexia® PowerUp Literacy provide real-time data on student progress, helping educators pinpoint specific areas for improvement.
• Targeted interventions: Provide structured, personalised support to students struggling with literacy, ensuring they receive help that meets their individual needs. Adaptive literacy programmes such as PowerUp adapt to each student’s ability, offering targeted instruction in word study, grammar, and comprehension to build core literacy skills efficiently.
• Embedding literacy across the curriculum: Encourage subject teachers to integrate reading strategies, vocabulary support, and writing scaffolds within their lessons. Literacy development shouldn’t be confined to English lessons alone. Due to its broad content and skills-based approach, PowerUp helps students develop literacy proficiency in ways that can be applied across all subjects.
• Engaging and age-appropriate support: Literacy challenges in older students require a different approach from primary-level interventions. Ensuring materials are relevant and accessible can boost motivation and progress. PowerUp’s age-appropriate content and game-based activities keep students engaged while developing essential literacy skills at their own pace.

A Commitment to Literacy for All

Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their starting point. By recognising and addressing hidden literacy gaps, educators can empower students with the skills they need to access the full curriculum, achieve their potential, and build brighter futures.

To learn more about how Lexia PowerUp Literacy can support your students, visit our product page.

How St Joseph’s Primary Achieved Top 10% Reading Outcomes

At St Joseph’s Primary School in Islington, reading outcomes rank within the top 10% nationally. Lexia Core5 Reading has played a key role in helping their struggling readers, including those with SEND and EAL, improve their literacy skills.

By integrating Core5 into their morning reading interventions, the school has seen improved reading ability, confidence, and engagement among their students.

See the Impact for Yourself

Ready to explore how Lexia Core5 can support your pupils? We’re offering a free 30-day evaluation so you can experience the transformative power of our program first-hand.

Strategies for Primary Pupils with SEND

Ensuring that every child develops confident reading skills is a priority for primary schools, yet pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) often face additional barriers to literacy.

For SENDCOs and school leaders, providing effective reading intervention requires a strategic, evidence-based approach that addresses diverse learning needs while working within the realities of curriculum demands and resource constraints.

Literacy for All: Strategies for Primary Pupils with SEND is a practical guide designed to support educators in implementing inclusive, research-informed literacy strategies. It explores key approaches to improving reading outcomes for SEND learners, with a focus on adaptive instruction, targeted support, and data-driven decision-making.

This guide will help you:

• Deliver more effective literacy support: Tailor literacy instruction to meet the needs of learners with dyslexia, ADHD, and speech and language difficulties.
• Save time and enhance impact: Explore the role of adaptive learning and technology in delivering personalised reading intervention.
• Make data work for you: Use assessment and real-time data to inform targeted interventions and demonstrate impact.

By embedding these approaches into literacy provision, schools can take meaningful steps towards closing the attainment gap and ensuring equitable access to reading development.

Download the guide to explore strategies that support all learners in building essential reading skills.

Access the Guide

See the Results for Yourself – Request a Free 30-Day Evaluation

Want to experience the impact of Lexia Core5 in your school? We’re offering a free 30-day evaluation for schools interested in seeing how Lexia Core5 can support their students’ literacy skills development.

Tackling Literacy Gaps in Secondary Schools

Free Downloadable Guide: Literacy For All: Tackling Literacy Gaps in Secondary Students & Practical Strategies for Support.

Last year, over 120,000 students from disadvantaged backgrounds entered secondary school below the expected standard for reading. Students arrive with different skill levels, and factors such as SEND, socio-economic barriers, and EAL can further widen gaps in spelling, grammar, and comprehension. Without the right support, these challenges can affect access to the curriculum, engagement in learning, and success in GCSEs.

This free guide explores:

• The key literacy challenges facing secondary students, including low reading age and difficulties with comprehension
• Practical strategies for literacy support, including approaches for SEND, disadvantaged students, and those eligible for Pupil Premium
• The role of reading intervention and adaptive teaching in improving literacy outcomes at scale
• How technology and data-driven instruction can help close literacy gaps and build core literacy skills

Building Stronger Literacy Foundations

By understanding the diverse needs of secondary students and applying evidence-based strategies, schools can create a more inclusive, effective approach to literacy support.

Access the Guide

See the Results for Yourself – Request a Free 30-Day Evaluation

Want to experience the impact of Lexia PowerUp in your school? We’re offering a free 30-day evaluation for schools interested in seeing how Lexia PowerUp Literacy can support their students’ literacy skills development.

Literacy Spotlight – Herrick Primary School, Leicester

Our Star School for March is…

Herrick Primary School, Leicester!

Beth Phipps, Reading Lead at Herrick Primary, shares how Lexia has transformed literacy learning, particularly for English Language Learners. By embedding Lexia into daily routines and fostering pupil independence, Herrick Primary has seen excellent progress with engagement, confidence, and reading skills across the school.

How did you first come across the Lexia program and what led to the school’s final decision to purchase?

I had a friend who also worked at a primary school, and she was facing similar struggles with regards to basic comprehension, letter formation, sounds and their corresponding letters. I asked her, what are you doing about this? How are you managing and able to target, 60+ children when they have a very similar staffing structure to us?

She raved about Lexia and told me to get in touch so they could talk me through the program – and that’s what I did.

It was around 2018-2019 and I met with a LexiaUK Literacy Software Consultant online. They talked through everything, and I took all the information back to my head teacher and he agreed that this is a way that we can support children across the school.  We decided to use Lexia to support our children that struggled the most with learning English, but I was told by the company that Lexia can be used with all children. I was given examples of schools that use the program to progress all children further down their literacy journey.

What do you feel makes Lexia stand apart from other reading skills software products on the market?

I had looked at others at the time; how they would work and what their pros were and what their drawbacks were. What we find works best with Lexia to support our children is the home screen allows them to monitor their own progress. The wheel allows them to see how many minutes they need to complete and how many units they’ve worked on. They refer often to the apple in the corner and they’ll give us that feedback themselves. They know when the apple glows red, that they are finding the activity a little tricky.

We wanted something that of course we as staff needed to pioneer and champion, but also something that the children themselves were confident with using. It was no good logging something in handing it over to them and just saying, oh, you need to work on this. They can physically track their progress and the level they’re on. They get so excited to say they’ve moved on to something new.

Lexia was something that we knew was going to engage them with the graphics and the idea of moving through the world. So, it was something that stood apart from other models that were on the market at the time.

We found that, with other programmes, the onus was purely on the educators to see where the children were, whereas we wanted something that our children could take ownership of as well, and that’s what we found in Lexia.

How is Lexia used in your school? 

The children are really independent. The iPads are out on the side, they know their login information themselves. We have created little cards that stay in school and go home. So, if they were to forget their log in, they know where the Lexia card is located.

We use it as a morning task across the school for our children, and they’re incredibly independent that when they come in in the morning, they put their things away, they grab their iPad, they get their headphones on and they want to get started straight away. A lot of the time, I’ll look at their wheel first thing in the morning, and they’ve already filled them in. And I say, “how have you done that?” And they said, “Oh, I like to eat my breakfast and have a look on Lexia to see what I need to do for the day.” I think it’s really lovely. Some of the routines are embedded before they even get to school, which is wonderful.

We have comfy reading corners in all of our classrooms, which initially were purely for children to read in, but we found that the children using Lexia love to go into these areas as well. They take their shoes off, they get cosy and comfortable and they make good use of that time.

If certain children have not been able to meet their usage, maybe they’ve been absent or they’ve had a long term absence for whatever reason, we utilise assembly time, so those children will miss an assembly and work on Lexia during that time.

Sometimes they ask at lunchtime, “Can I come in and do my Lexia minutes?” And we said that’s absolutely fine. They know it’s very much an open doors policy with regards to coming in and completing their minutes. Some children prefer to do their minutes purely at home. That allows best for them in their routines and after-school commitments they have.

Describe the impact that Lexia has had on your pupils. Have you noticed a positive change in their motivation to succeed in literacy? 

Something that always stands out to us is the impact that it has had on our English Language Learners. Some children join our school without a word of English, they arrive one day and they can tell you their name but the conversation stops there. They’re still part of our teaching and our lessons, and they’re fully immersed into school life and learning English. I would say for those children, it’s so lovely that they are learning those skills such as capital letters, full stops, which letters correspond with which sound. Then when it comes to their lessons, they’re applying those skills.

I have heard so many success stories where teachers have asked a child, ‘how have you learned how to do that?’ And they’ll say, ‘I was working on that on Lexia’. That’s so lovely for us to hear because all schools would love to have a specialised unit for children who first need to learn English. But realistically, they are part of the main class environment, and they have to learn at the same pace as everyone else. It’s been great for us to see how Lexia has supported those children.

Can you give an example of a Lexia success that sticks out to you?

It always strikes me when children start off with quite low motivation with regards to education in general. To them, we are just one more person on their case, telling them something to do. Whereas when you watch them use Lexia, they’re playing games, having fun on the iPad and getting to have some downtime. They’re fully immersed in what they’re doing and you’ll see them have a little chuckle, you’ll look over and it’ll be an animation moving over the screen.

I think that has been wonderful for us to see something like Lexia, which can help with those hard-to-reach children. They might not want another person telling them we’re going to learn how to use full stops and capital letters, but instead, they’re seeing it as synonymous with games and playing. That’s been really nice to see.

I would also say confidence for children who have arrived with very little English. They may start off not knowing the routines, maybe not even having used a tablet before. Five months later, they come in, get their iPad, talk to their friends about what it is they’re learning, help another child to log in. So, it’s provided almost a sense of community for those children. Their peers are working on it as well, and they work in a little area together. It has supported them in embedding a daily routine whilst also learning those basic first literacy skills.

How have you used rewards to motivate and celebrate success on the Lexia program?

We have the Lexia certificates that we use. There are lots of different ways in which the certificates can be presented, but for us, the winner is always the bright, colourful one! The children love it because it’s got their first and last name so it’s official and it shows that it’s theirs. The fact that it references at the bottom to what it is they’ve achieved is great too. So many times, children will receive a certificate and if you were to ask them what it was for a week later, they might not be able to tell you. Whereas Lexia certificates specifically break down what they’ve been able to do. They then take that home and show it to their parents and rather than just ‘I got a certificate’, they can specifically explain why. So, certificates have been great for motivating our children, and teachers have used them in different ways. They’re always printed for the children, but sometimes they’re given out in assemblies as well. We also have them displayed on the large screen the children can clap for their peers and congratulate their Lexia success!

We use Dojo rewards at our school, so they’re also awarded for children that either complete a time goal or complete a unit. We found that for children that were struggling, they might be completing their minutes for the week, but there might be units that they’re still stuck on. So, we’ve looked at the data and used this to award a Dojo reward or incentive for when they finally get past that unit. That’s worked really well to support them progressing.

Often, the children celebrate their success with others. So, even if it’s not completing an entire level, you’ll see them talk to each other and they’ll swipe along the iPad and see how many more units they have to complete. It’s been lovely again to see them monitoring their own progress and sharing their successes with each other, which I don’t feel you’re able to do with other programmes. They can monitor it themselves so that’s massively helped, along with rewards, in keeping the children motivated.

How useful have you found the myLexia reports in terms of demonstrating progression and informing planning?

Lexia has been incredibly useful for our school. Whenever a child moves on to a new school, I download their progress reports and share them with their next school. This ensures that their new teachers know what they’ve already completed with us. The way the data is presented also allows us to see what skills the child had when they first took their assessment, which has been incredibly valuable.

If a teacher is unsure about a child’s progress, myLexia is a fantastic tool. It clearly shows whether the child has mastered basic skills and allows teachers to dig deeper into the specific skills they’re currently working on, along with their predictor traffic light status. We can instantly see their speed and accuracy in completing a particular skill.

I also like how the predictions update throughout the year, showing how likely students are to meet their goals. The progress tracking feature is excellent—it immediately highlights the percentage of children meeting their goals. I believe it’s essential to check the school overview each week, even if just one person does it and shares a summary with staff. It helps us identify where the children are and if there are any gaps for certain groups of children. It also helps us to identify if any children deserve a special shout-out for their dedication in completing their units.

I find the online platform incredibly easy to use, especially how the PDF reports and resources can be downloaded.

What main piece of advice would you give to a school that was just getting started with Lexia?

For schools just getting started with Lexia, my advice would be to involve as many staff members as possible. When it comes to initial training, or even just setting aside time in a staff meeting, use a demo account to explore the programme. Experience it from a child’s perspective—see how they access it, how they move through levels, and what happens if they get stuck. That way, when you observe pupils using Lexia, you’ll understand what they’re working on and be better able to support them.

Involving as many staff members as possible isn’t just about class teachers—it’s about teaching assistants too. Our TAs have played a huge role in embedding Lexia in our school, and much of our success is thanks to them. They know exactly which children should be using Lexia, they help get them set up, and they establish those routines quickly. The faster those routines are set at the start of the year, the sooner they become second nature for the children.

It can be difficult for staff to lead something if they don’t feel confident in it themselves. That’s why it’s so important to fully involve anyone who’s expected to use Lexia, helping them understand what it is and what it can achieve.

When it comes to parents, we ran a workshop when we first introduced Lexia, and we also have information available on our school website, which can be translated. So when children take home that initial letter about Lexia, parents have something physical to refer to. We also make sure every child gets their login card so they can access Lexia at home and show their parents what they’re doing.

Another great way to engage parents is by setting up a dedicated Lexia area at school events—whether it’s a parents’ evening or any open school event. Even just having a table with demo students logged in can make a big difference. Children who use Lexia naturally gravitate toward it when they see the logo, and they love showing their parents what they’re working on.

Celebrating success is also key. If a child is motivated and consistently meeting their Lexia minutes, let parents know! When parents see that their child’s engagement with Lexia is making a real difference at school, they’re more likely to encourage them at home.

Ultimately, the key is to involve as many people as possible—staff, teaching assistants, and parents—so that everyone understands what Lexia is and how it supports children’s learning.

What feedback have you had from your Lexia pupils?

We’ve had very positive feedback from the children. They love the ‘around the world’ theme—you’ll often hear them saying, “I’ve just been in China,” or “I’m moving on to India next.” For people unfamiliar with Lexia, they can wonder what it is they are talking about at first, but it creates such a buzz around the programme.

The visuals are eye-catching and vibrant, which makes a big difference. The children relate to them, and they spark conversations—especially any references to animals, which they are always interested in.

They also enjoy the mix of fiction and non-fiction texts. A lot of school materials are often photocopied in black and white, whereas Lexia’s content is bright, colourful, and interactive, which the children love. It’s easy for them to use, and they quickly learn how to track their progress. They like having something to listen to, and they know they can repeat instructions if they need extra help.

What’s great is that this enthusiasm comes from children at all levels—whether they’re right at the beginning of their Lexia Journey, learning basic print concepts, all the way to children in Year 6 working through comprehension tasks. For those at the higher end, Lexia helps them tackle new vocabulary and understand word meanings in a way that supports their learning.

Overall, it’s been fantastic to see such positive engagement from children at all ends of the spectrum.

Is there anything else you would like to add regarding why you think Lexia has been a success in your school?

One of the special things about Lexia is seeing the journey children go on. Some start at that very initial placement, settling into the nursery level skills, and then three or four years later, they’re not far off their peers in sentence completion or passage comprehension. Watching them go on that journey with Lexia supporting them every step of the way, is quite special.

When they move from Year 2 to Year 3, they already know Lexia is something they’ll continue with. They’re already familiar with the routines, which makes the transition seamless.

A lot of this success is testament to initial time and effort spent setting everything up. At first, it can feel like a barrier to be constantly chasing the same children or sorting out the infrastructure—but once those routines are in place, the daily running almost takes care of itself.

Getting as many staff members involved as possible—logging in, checking where children are up to—makes a big difference. The more people engaged, the better the experience for the children.

Most importantly, persevere with it. It’s so worth it. Once everything’s set up and running, you start to see the success shining through!

How We Closed the Reading Gap

At LexiaUK, we’re privileged to partner with schools that are committed to transforming literacy outcomes for their pupils. Hearing their success stories not only inspires us but also reinforces the impact of a thoughtfully implemented literacy program. In this post, we share how three schools have used Lexia to achieve remarkable results, and what we can learn from their approaches.

The Compton School – Identifying and addressing gaps early

The Compton School in North Finchley, London has successfully integrated Lexia into its whole-school literacy strategy, led by Assistant Headteacher Emily Walker-Nolan and Lexia Lead Deeya Sharma. Initially introduced to support with COVID catch-up, Lexia has now become central to Compton’s three-tier literacy approach, which includes staff training, targeted interventions, and comprehensive screening for Key Stage 3 students with reading difficulties.

Lexia’s adaptive features have proven effective in motivating students. The school enhances engagement by rewarding students with incentives like chocolates and postcards. Lexia is also used creatively across various settings, including transition programs for Year 6 students and daily routines such as breakfast clubs.

The program has led to impressive results, including a 20% increase in students meeting reading benchmarks. The school emphasises the importance of early implementation and actively involves parents through workshops and home-school communication.

Through these combined efforts, The Compton School has set a high standard for effective literacy intervention, ensuring all students experience progress and success.

What we can learn

The Compton School’s approach highlights the importance of early intervention. By identifyihttps://youtu.be/7FE5T_1WtU4ng struggling readers early, the school ensures they receive targeted support before gaps widen.

By integrating Lexia into their Year 6 transition, the school supports students in starting their secondary education with stronger literacy skills, potentially avoiding years of struggle. Early intervention not only helps address foundational gaps but also boosts student motivation and engagement, ensuring ongoing progress and success in literacy.

Watch The Compton School’s Full Interview

Herne Junior School – Motivating pupils with daily Lexia sessions

At Herne Junior School, Hampshire, Lexia has become a cornerstone of the school’s reading intervention strategy, particularly under the leadership of Lynne Tandy, the school’s SEN Assistant and Lexia Coordinator. Initially used as an early morning intervention for Year 4 and Year 5 pupils, the program evolved during the COVID-19 lockdown into a daily routine across the whole school.

By providing personalised learning experiences, Lexia helps close reading gaps, boosting students’ confidence. Lynne creatively integrates Lexia into the school day, offering morning sessions that include breakfast, and rewards that ensure engagement and motivation.

Her approach, which combines consistency, positive reinforcement and tailored support, has led to impressive improvements. For example, one pupil gained confidence after completing over 1,000 minutes on Lexia and advancing three levels. Lynne advises other schools to thoroughly explore Lexia’s features to ensure effective implementation.

Herne Junior’s success with Lexia is a testament to the programme’s potential when used creatively and consistently, making a lasting impact on pupils’ reading development.

What we can learn

Herne Junior School demonstrates the power of building pupil motivation and consistency. By embedding Lexia into the school day with consistent morning sessions, the school fosters a routine that encourages daily engagement with the program. This regular practice ensures that pupils see continuous improvement, building their confidence over time.

The reward system, including house points, stickers, and special reward activities, reinforces positive behaviour and celebrates small achievements, making learning feel rewarding and enjoyable. Lynne’s focus on creating a positive, supportive environment where learners are motivated to share their progress also plays a crucial role in maintaining high levels of engagement.

Herne Junior’s approach shows that when students are consistently encouraged, given clear goals, and rewarded for their efforts, they are more likely to stay committed and succeed in their reading development.

Watch Herne Junior School’s Full Interview

St. Alban’s Academy: Adapting to meet every pupil’s needs

At St Alban’s Academy, located in an area with high deprivation and significant learning gaps, Lexia Core5 was implemented as a whole-class solution rather than a small-group tool. This innovative adaptation ensured all pupils benefited from the program’s design of offering targeted support, regardless of their starting point.

The school adopted an effective routine: while some pupils worked independently on Lexia’s personalised online tasks, teachers focused on smaller groups to address specific learning needs. This model allowed for both individualised practice and focused intervention. Teachers also used Lexia’s detailed reports to inform lesson planning, ensuring that classroom teaching addressed areas where pupils struggled most.

The impact was transformative. Within five weeks, most pupils had gained two months’ progress, with the school’s most vulnerable learners making particularly notable strides. Teachers reported a significant reduction in workload stress, as Lexia’s adaptive technology provided vital support.

Beyond academic gains, the school saw an uplift in pupils’ enthusiasm for reading. Children began sharing their progress and favourite moments from Lexia, while teachers noted improvements in writing because of exposure to richer vocabulary and texts.

What we can learn

St. Alban’s Academy’s approach offers valuable lessons for other schools looking to maximise the impact of reading interventions. Their decision to implement Lexia Core5 as a whole-class intervention demonstrates the power of inclusivity in reading progress. By ensuring that every pupil, regardless of their starting point, could benefit from personalised support, the school effectively reduced learning gaps and promoted equity.

The integration of Lexia with targeted teacher interventions also highlights the importance of a blended approach that combines technology with teacher expertise. The use of Lexia’s detailed reports to inform lesson planning demonstrates how data-driven decision-making can enhance teaching strategies.

Read St Alban’s Academy’s Full Interview

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Literacy Spotlight – Oakwell Rise Primary Academy, Barnsley

Our Star School for February is…

Oakwell Rise Primary Academy, Barnsley!

We had a great conversation with Grace Ashton, Assistant Principal and Georgina Shipp, SENCO and Assistant Principal at Oakwell Rise Academy. They shared how Lexia Core5’s personalised learning model has helped, not only to improve academic success in SATs, but boost their pupils’ confidence too!

How did you first come across the Lexia program and what led to the school’s final decision to purchase?

Grace: We’ve had Lexia now for a number of years. We were looking for something that the children could access with some independence. It’s fab for workload. With the placement test, it’s totally scaffolded and differentiated to the level that those children need. It’s helpful when you’ve got quite a few children within one classroom that need lots of different levels of learning.

I think we chose Lexia because it had good results and it was totally tailored to those children’s individual needs. Even within one lesson on Lexia, it automatically shifts between independent practice and guided instruction without the teacher having to do that. It’s very visual as well so it is easy to see if a child is struggling and, of course there are the Skill Builders and Lexia Lessons if those children are still struggling and need teacher input.

So, it was really about ease of use for us. Not only did it have cracking results, but it was easy for us to deliver and set up.

What do you feel makes Lexia stand apart from other reading skills software products on the market?

Georgina: I think for me, it’s really visual and engaging for the children. They enjoy all those elements, so it feels like a game. We never feel as if we are forcing them to do a structured intervention. It’s something that they’ve got that ownership over. They can see those levels are ticking up and when they are getting those certificates, they feel they are achieving. I like the way the levels are themed as well, its very beautiful as you work yourself around the world map. The kids really enjoy it.

Grace: I think it’s also the ease of use from both the students side and the staff side. It is so simple for the children to get logged on using the website or app. The myLexia staff area is really easy to navigate and simple as well. You can pick it up and run with it.

Georgina: From a tracking perspective, it does it all for you. All the lovely tables and lovely graphs.  It shows you visually where the children are starting from, where they’ve got to at this point and what we need to do to get them there next. It’s intuitive enough to know that it is doing that for us. So, we are not having to pull in other interventions because we know that Lexia is going to take us to that next level.

How is Lexia used in your school? 

Grace: The children that we target for Lexia are the children that are not currently working on their year group objectives so, we use it to give those children a push. We identify those children after assessments and based on teacher judgements.

Usually, children access Lexia at 8:30am each morning, so that is usually how those children start the day. We do also hold sessions in the afternoons which is monitored by a TA who checks and supports over the shoulder. We share the logins with parents as well so pupils are also able to access it at home. It’s a whole school approach and we value it.

Georgina: During our Pride Awards, all of the certificates that the children have earned throughout the week are handed out. We love celebrating their progress and the fact that those children have worked independently and have been achieving those goals for themselves.

I had one of the young men that I teach in Year 5 told me he had already gained 10 units that week and it was only Tuesday! I asked him how he had managed to gain 10 units already and he said, “I did it at home last night, I really want to get to the end of the program!”

That self-motivation is there and it’s in-build. I think it’s just part of our culture now. Because we are celebrating our Lexia children, we are noticing that children that are not doing Lexia are asking if they can do it too! They love it!

Describe the impact that Lexia has had on your pupils. Have you noticed a positive change in their motivation to succeed in literacy? 

Grace: We’ve seen that the children that are getting the greatest usage on Lexia and working through the units, their reading data in Year 6 from Autumn to May for the SATs has skyrocketed. Because it’s purposefully tailored to them and, at the higher levels there is a massive focus on comprehension, that really supports them with those SATs papers. Those children who are a little bit behind who are working are the lower levels are also getting those basic reading skills and phonics intervention from it, so it has the impact across school.

All of the children who are on Lexia make great progress in reading, but you can see that it does support SATs results as well.

Georgina: We have a lot of children with English as an Additional Language that attend here so those that are new to English may need a little bit more practice when it comes to reading and the English language. It’s helpful for them, particularly the way you can have instruction repeated. In addition to this, there are opportunities for adults to support if we are not understanding what they need. It really does help develop those children and gives them that daily practice with staff as well as independent practice when they get home.

Grace: What’s nice is when they are working on reading a text in the program, if there is a particularly tricky word, they can usually click on it and read about what it means and get a definition and a picture. This is not only fantastic for EAL children, but all children who have not got as much of a command of language. They do not need to constantly ask the teacher what each word means, they can develop their own independence as well which is nice.

Can you give an example of a Lexia success that sticks out to you?

Grace: It’s not so much a particular student but something that really stuck with me last year what when a few pupils started some of the units on Idioms. Of course, some of our EAL student were brand new to idioms like ‘break a leg’ but it linked very nicely to our writing topics and it came out that, actually, as a class, we weren’t quite sure what those idioms meant. We were then able to complete the Idioms Skills Builder as a class and use some of the additional resources in the Lexia materials to teach whole-class. The resource that is behind the program can be used in whole class sessions as well.

Georgina: I am fairly new to the school, but we had one young man, last year, that got to the end of the program and he got a massive prize for that! He was quite a nervous young man, and didn’t have a lot of confidence in himself. He had a diagnosis of autism and was quite timid and shy in himself but, seeing him up there and showing everyone ‘I’ve worked hard, and I’ve done this all by myself’. He just beamed and was so proud of himself. He really shone from the inside!

Grace: Yes, There was that confidence element but, within that, he went from a low starting point that year, to passing at the end of the year. Lexia was a contributor to that.

How have you used rewards to motivate and celebrate success on the Lexia program?

Grace: We place a lot of value on the certificates that we give out in our weekly Pride Awards assembly. For example, I had a little boy who got two certificates in one week. When he achieved the second one, I asked him if he wanted it to be printed straight away or to save it for the next awards in a weeks’ time. Even though he had to wait, he chose to wait until the Pride Awards because he wanted to stand up in the assembly.

The teachers really value it too. We use Dojo’s and house points if children are doing well during the week. We also have awards for Star Learner, Class Champion and Homework Hero and sometimes staff choose to award those to children trying really hard on Lexia as well. So it is valued and promoted in every assembly.

Georgina: We also take a picture of every child that has achieved a Lexia certificate and that goes on our social media page so we are communicating with parent how much we value to time they give to Lexia at home. So we celebrate in the wider school community as well.

How useful have you found the myLexia reports in terms of demonstrating progression and informing planning?

Grace: I like the colour coding of the myLexia reports, like how you can see what progress they have made in the year so far against their overall progress. You can also go into the detailed reports where it clearly shows the speed at which they are progressing and their accuracy score. It also provides information on how independently the children have completed each unit so, even if they have worked at a low speed, we can see if they have done it on the independent mode or have they needed help with Guided Practice. It’s really helpful to see that detail of pace, accuracy and independence in their work.

Georgina: From a SEN perspective, we use the report to inform our support plans. If a child’s not successful on that level, then what support do we need for that? We track their progression over time from their last support plan to this support plan to see if we are getting the right level of progress that we are expecting. If not, we may also look into wider professional to see what that further support might look like. For example, do they need additional tuition from a dyslexia specialist? So, we use the reports widely from a teaching a learning perspective, but we are also looking at it from an SEN perspective as well.

What main piece of advice would you give to a school that was just getting started with Lexia?

Grace: Last year we had some Lexia training and that was useful to build staff knowledge of the program and what is covered in each level. I think it’s important to value the program and share with staff the value of Lexia and the impact that it can have. We are all so busy in schools but it really helps to make sure it is something that you give the time to. The CPD session in particular was very helpful, not only to see what the children’s side looked like and what the teachers’ side looked like, but building that knowledge of what each level covers. That way when they see one of their children are on Level 7, they know exactly what skills they are working on.

Georgina: I came to this schools from another that had Lexia and, the fact that it is timetabled in every day here and that every child has the opportunity to access it, it makes a big difference. They have all got a device to access it, they all have their login, we have trained the children on how to log in successfully and we’ve got everything that we need for them to be successful. The main thing is that they have actually got that time allocated to it and it is prioritised in the timetable. It’s not something that maybe one or two might access when we have got 5 minutes. It is prioritised, it’s valued and its something that is celebrated and rewarded. I think that’s what makes it really successful here. Children need to be accessing it with real rigour for it to be purposeful.

What feedback have you had from your Lexia pupils?

Grace: They love it, they enjoy it. They like the certificates. Some of our lower attaining children that struggle in other areas love it because it is perfectly tailored to them. They are getting that reward every week, at their level and it is valuing their efforts. I think with the younger children, it is so visually appealing, that they genuinely love going on it. Even the Year 6’s, the oldest in school, will go on it from home so they clearly do enjoy using it.

Is there anything else you would like to add regarding why you think Lexia has been a success in your school?

Grace: I think it just goes back to the confidence that the children have grown with Lexia but also the academic success. It’s got both of those lovely aspects of supporting children in developing their confidence and their academic success. Children that had have previously had a negative outlook on reading, but actually because they’ve caught up and they’ve build those skills, the have come into general reading and writing lessons with that little bit more confidence and belief in themselves, which is really lovely.

Proven Results

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Real Schools, Real Stories

Find out how we are helping schools to accelerate their literacy progress.

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