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Introducing The Big LexiaUK Survey 2026!
“How do other schools implement Lexia?”
It’s a question we hear often from schools looking to maximise their impact on reading.
During the National Year of Reading, it feels like the perfect time to ask a wider question too:
How are schools supporting reading and what challenges are they facing along the way?
That’s why we’d love to hear from you.
Take part in The Big Lexia Survey 2026 and help us better understand how reading is being supported in your school, how Lexia fits within that approach and where the biggest pressures and priorities lie. From targeting and timetabling to tracking progress and overcoming reading barriers, we’re keen to learn what’s working well and where you’d value more support.
In return, you’ll be entered into our prize draw to win £250 of National Book Tokens for your school library.
Your feedback will help shape future resources, guidance and support, ensuring Lexia continues to support schools effectively during the National Year of Reading and beyond.
Click below to take part. It only takes 15 minutes, but your insights will make a lasting impact.
Giveaway Rules
- Only one entry per person.
- Entrants from the UK and Ireland only.
- Entrants must be teaching staff in a school that is a current customer of LexiaUK.
- We are unable to accept entries from anyone connected with any schools participating in empirical studies relating to Lexia..
- Winner will be selected using a random number generator and checks to ensure all entry requirements are satisfied will take place until an eligible winner is chosen.
- Prize will only be sent to a school email address. Winner must provide a valid school email address upon selection for prize to be delivered.
- Winner will be notified by email where email address will be confirmed for prize delivery. A follow up phone call to the school will be made in a further attempt to make contact. If no response in received within 7 days of initial contact, the prize will be withdrawn and a new winner selected.
- All entry requirements must be satisfied for successful entry into the prize draw.
- Giveaway submissions will be accepted between 4th March 2026 at 8:30am and 24th July 2026 at 4:00pm after which a winner will be selected. We cannot accept entries submitted after this time.
- Winner will be announced from 1st September 2026.
- In the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond reasonable control, LexiaUK reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition or these terms and conditions, either in whole or in part, with or without notice.
Giveaway Entry Requirements
To Enter, participants must:
- Complete The Big Lexia Survey 2026.
- Provide contact details at the end of the survey.
- Be a member of staff at a school that is currently a LexiaUK customer.
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Reading engagement plays a vital role in nurturing a lifelong love of learning and supporting literacy development across school. By focusing on the factors that spark intrinsic motivation, we can better understand how to encourage active engagement in the learning process and help pupils become confident, motivated readers.
The Power of Engagement
Research has consistently shown that students who are deeply engaged in their own learning not only adapt better to the classroom environment but also perform significantly higher academically. Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris (2004) highlight the pivotal role of internal motivation in successful learning, emphasising the need for students to be both motivated by and deeply engaged in their educational journey.
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Before we can develop strategies for motivating our students, we must first understand that not all strategies are created equal. One common way in which motivational strategies are categorised is intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that comes from within the student such as the activity being personally rewarding or enjoyable, while extrinsic motivation may come from factors such as an external reward scheme or incentives.
Delving into the debate of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, a meta-analysis of over 100 studies by Deci et al. (1999) revealed that intrinsic motivation is correlated with higher levels of effort, satisfaction, and learning. But how can we inspire intrinsic motivation in our students?
What Drives Intrinsic Motivation?
Pillars of intrinsically motivated behaviour include:
- Autonomy: Instilling a sense of control, agency, and independence.
- Competence: Fostering feelings of effectiveness, capability, and internal reward in tackling challenges.
- Relatedness: Meeting the need for meaningful interaction and connection with others. This sharpens social skills and provides an external motivation for the child.
Harnessing Intrinsic Motivation with Lexia
How can we guide our students towards intrinsic motivation when engaging with the Lexia program? Here are some different ways that you can employ these key drivers of intrinsic motivation in your Lexia sessions:
Autonomy
- Choice Matters: Provide students with choices, allow them to select their activities or strands during sessions. Both Lexia® Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp® Literacy offer students a choice of activities, promoting their autonomy.
- Interactive Engagement: Encourage participation in the varied opinion polls and questions embedded throughout the program. Look out for these appearing and ask the student why they answered that way. Encourage their independence in their responses.
- Goal Setting: Enable students stay actively involved in their learning by setting their own personal goals. The myLexia Resource Hub provides downloadable Goal Setting Worksheets to empower students to set themselves actionable goals and the Student Programs dashboard gives students to the tools to track their progress towards these goals.
- Involvement: Share data with students, allowing them to play an active part and clearly see the growth that is occurring due to their effort.
Competence
- Personalised Learning: Lexia’s Auto Placement feature ensures the right level of challenge for each individual pupil. If a student has continual difficulty on the program, consider reassessing them to see if their needs have changed. You can also manually place a pupil at a level based on your own knowledge of their needs.
- Celebrate Success: Acknowledge every success, whether it’s completing levels, units, or dedicated usage goals. Verbal reinforcement can be a powerful tool to highlight each small achievement as they occur in the classroom.
- Certificates of Achievement: Utilise Lexia certificates to mark students’ achievements and let them know they are succeeding. A range of different types of certificates can be download from the Resources Hub by visiting the Student Achievement section.
- Regular Monitoring: Keep up with myLexia reports to intervene when students face challenges. This can prevent too many unsuccessful attempts in an activity, potentially leading to reduced motivation.
Relatedness
- Open Dialogue: Engage in open conversations with students about their Lexia progress, levels, minutes completed, and goals. Most pupils enjoy the opportunity to talk about their most recent achievements in the program.
- Peer Sharing: Encourage students to share their experiences with each other, fostering a sense of community. Allowing students to share what they are covering in their new level can motivate others to get to that level too!
- Competitions: Host competitions at the class or individual level, showcasing individual achievements to the class. You can utilise myLexia data or information from the Student’s dashboards to introduce a ‘Streak of the Week’ or ‘Units Leaderboard’.
- Classroom Environment: Leverage the classroom environment to display Lexia progressions and successes. Timelines can be used to provide a clear visual of your pupils progress through the program while certificate displays and leaderboards give students a space to celebrate each other’s achievements.
- Social Media Sharing: Capture and share success stories on your school’s social media. This helps to create a sense of pride within the wider school community. Make sure to use #LexiaUK to share these achievements with us too!
Crafting a Lexia Engagement Plan
To ensure a holistic approach to fostering Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness, consider creating a Lexia Engagement Plan for your school to ensure that these strategies are tailored to your unique environment. Follow the steps below to begin:
- Build Autonomy: Detail how the school will empower students with choices, goal-setting, and transparent data sharing.
- Promote Competence: Outline the school’s commitment to celebrating every success, utilising personalised learning features, and monitoring progress proactively.
- Promote Relatedness: Describe how the school will encourage open dialogue, peer sharing, and the use of the classroom environment and social media to enhance the sense of community.
By implementing these strategies, your school can unlock the full potential of Lexia programs, creating an environment where students are not only motivated but deeply engaged in their learning journey. If you require any support in developing your Implementation Plan for Lexia, get in touch with our knowledgeable and friendly Customer Care team.
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With the first inspections now underway under Ofsted’s updated 2025 framework, many leaders are taking stock of what the changes mean for their schools. The shift to a more detailed report-card model, the introduction of new evaluation areas and the sharper focus on inclusion all represent a significant adjustment to the inspection landscape.
For reading and literacy, particularly for pupils who may face barriers to learning, these changes bring renewed attention to how consistently and effectively schools support progress. While the framework continues to evolve in response to feedback from the sector, one thing remains clear: strong, joined-up literacy provision is essential for ensuring all pupils can access the curriculum.
This blog offers a clear overview of the reforms now in place and provides practical strategies to help your staff and wider literacy provision feel confident and well-prepared for the months ahead.
Overview of the New Ofsted Framework
From December 2025, all routine school inspections transitioned to the updated Education Inspection Framework (EIF). Key developments affecting reading include:
A shift to detailed report cards
Schools are no longer defined by a single headline judgement. Instead, each setting receives:
- a 5-point grade across several evaluation areas
- a short narrative describing strengths and priorities
- Contextual information that acknowledges pupil need and school demographics
This more detailed approach gives leaders richer feedback, but it also means inspectors are looking more closely at the quality and consistency of provision.
Evaluation areas
ding and literacy now contributes evidence across multiple areas, most notably:
- Curriculum and teaching
- Achievement
- Inclusion
- Leadership and governance
Because reading and literacy underpins curriculum access, practices in this one area now influences outcomes in several parts of the report card.
A new 5-point grading scale
The scale is designed to recognise sustained excellence and identify improvement needs more transparently:
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
The expected standard reflects effective, consistent teaching aligned with statutory guidance. Most schools are likely to sit between expected and strong.
Stronger emphasis on inclusion
The introduction of a standalone Inclusion evaluation area signals a national commitment to addressing gaps in attainment and curriculum access. Inspectors are paying close attention to:
- How quickly needs are identified
- The quality of adaptations and scaffolding
- The impact of targeted support for disadvantaged, SEND, and vulnerable pupils
What These Changes Mean for Literacy Leaders
With reading and literacy threaded throughout the new evaluation areas, leaders have a clear opportunity to make literacy a central strength of their school. Strong literacy provision directly impacts Curriculum and Teaching, by ensuring pupils can access lessons across all subjects; Achievement, by supporting measurable progress in reading and comprehension; and Inclusion, by addressing barriers faced by disadvantaged or SEND pupils. In practice, inspectors will look at how well reading is taught and supported, how gaps are identified and addressed and how all pupils are supported to make meaningful progress, making literacy a key factor in multiple aspects of a school’s report card.
1. The need for a coherent, school-wide approach
Inspectors are looking for:
- shared understanding of reading progression
- consistency in lesson design and support
- routines that help pupils build secure, cumulative knowledge
Inconsistency between classes or phases will be more visible under the new toolkit.
2. Confidence in demonstrating impact
Because outcomes are reported across multiple categories, leaders need:
- timely, accurate data
- clear evidence of progress over time
- specific insight into the experiences of disadvantaged groups
Being able to talk confidently about how your pupils are reading and how quickly they improve supports several inspection areas at once.
3. Sustainable support for teachers
The new framework also recognises teacher workload and wellbeing. Approaches to literacy need to be:
- manageable
- repeatable
- aligned to existing routines
Teacher confidence is a key part of demonstrating a strong standard. When staff know what to prioritise, pupils benefit and inspectors notice.
How Technology Can Support
While digital tools are not always required, many schools are now turning to technology to help manage the increased emphasis on evidence, early identification and targeted support.
Technology can help by:
- Improving assessment accuracy, giving teachers precise information without additional workload.
- Providing adaptive practice, supporting diverse needs at the right level.
- Reducing differentiation burden, helping teachers plan in a way that supports all abilities without additional workload.
- Generating clear progress evidence, which can strengthen inspection narratives across multiple evaluation areas
Used thoughtfully, technology enhances teacher effectiveness and ensures pupils receive consistent, well-targeted support.
Leading Literacy with Confidence
The new Ofsted framework introduces more detailed reporting and new evaluation areas, but the fundamentals remain consistent: clear, structured reading provision supports pupil progress, including for disadvantaged learners.
Focusing on reliable routines, targeted early identification, and consistent teaching allows schools to manage inspection expectations effectively. The reforms provide a framework to demonstrate the quality and consistency of your reading provision and the practical impact of your teaching and support.
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Building strong phonics skills is essential not only for passing the check but for fostering confident, independent readers.
Here, we’ve gathered a range of tried-and-tested phonics activities designed to support sound recognition, blending, segmenting and spelling, all while keeping learning fun and interactive. Plus, we’ve included a free phonics tracker template to help you monitor pupils’ progress and plan targeted support.
Sound recognition and blending
Helping pupils identify and blend sounds is a crucial step in developing early reading skills. Try these activities in your classroom:
Sound-to-Letter Matching: Use flashcards of letters and sounds. Pupils match the correct sound to the letter or digraph.
Sound Boxes (Elkonin Boxes): Pupils segment words into individual phonemes by placing counters or tokens in boxes as they say each sound.
Robot Talk: Teachers say words slowly, separating the phonemes (e.g., /c/ /a/ /t/), and pupils blend them to read the word.
Segmenting and Spelling
Once pupils can hear and blend sounds, segmenting and spelling helps solidify their understanding:
Segment and Spell: Pupils hear a word, segment the phonemes and write each sound in order.
Sound Swap Games: Pupils use letter tiles to change a phoneme in a word to create a new word (e.g., swap /c/ in “cat” with /h/ → “hat”).
Word Ladders: Start with one word, pupils change one sound at a time to make a new word and see how high they can make their word latter!
Segmenting and Spelling
Once pupils can hear and blend sounds, segmenting and spelling helps solidify their understanding:
Segment and Spell: Pupils hear a word, segment the phonemes and write each sound in order.
Sound Swap Games: Pupils use letter tiles to change a phoneme in a word to create a new word (e.g., swap /c/ in “cat” with /h/ → “hat”).
Word Ladders: Start with one word, pupils change one sound at a time to make a new word and see how high they can make their word latter!
Grapheme/Phoneme Games
Make phonics practice more interactive with games that focus on graphemes and phonemes:
Phonics Snap: Pupils play snap with cards showing graphemes or words.
Phoneme Fishing: Pupils “fish” for words or letters that match a particular phoneme.
Odd-One-Out: Pupils listen to or read a set of words and identify the word that doesn’t share the target phoneme.
Nonsense or Alien Word Practice
The phonics screening check includes ‘alien’ or nonsense words, so it’s essential pupils are comfortable reading unfamiliar words:
Alien Word Games: Pupils read nonsense words aloud to find out the name of the alien, use visuals like “alien characters” to make it fun.
Alien Word Sorting: Pupils sort nonsense words by phoneme or spelling pattern.
Listening & Discrimination
Developing pupils’ listening skills ensures they can discriminate between similar sounds:
Phoneme Spotting: Pupils listen to a sentence and identify the target sound.
Odd Sound Out: Pupils hear three words and identify the one with a different initial, medial, or final sound.
Sound Detective: Pupils distinguish between words that differ by only one sound (e.g., “pin” vs “pen”).
Phonics Fun and Games
Finally, make phonics practice engaging with activities that feel like play:
Phonics Treasure Hunt: Hide cards with words or phonemes around the classroom for pupils to find and read.
Interactive Whiteboard Activities: Use the interactive phonics activities in Lexia Core5 Reading on the whiteboard to engage the whole class
Phonics Board Games: Create simple board games where pupils read words to move spaces forward
Phonics Fun and Games
Finally, make phonics practice engaging with activities that feel like play:
Phonics Treasure Hunt: Hide cards with words or phonemes around the classroom for pupils to find and read.
Interactive Whiteboard Activities: Use the interactive phonics activities in Lexia Core5 Reading on the whiteboard to engage the whole class
Phonics Board Games: Create simple board games where pupils read words to move spaces forward
This term, we invited schools across the UK to take part in our Lexia in Action competition, a celebration of the creativity, commitment and impact behind high-quality Lexia implementation.
We were overwhelmed by the thoughtful submissions showcasing how educators bring Lexia to life in their classrooms, intervention spaces and wider school communities.
Today, we’re excited to announce our winners, three fantastic examples of Lexia in Action, each demonstrating how purposeful, data-informed practice can transform pupils’ literacy confidence.
Winner: The Forest School, Wokingham
Submitted by: Lisa Hollands, Learning Support Assistant
Our winning submission stood out for its creativity, consistency and inspiring whole-school culture of celebration.
Two years ago, Lisa took on the responsibility for Lexia interventions and immediately found ways to tailor the experience around pupils’ needs. One of her first changes was transforming the intervention rooms:
“Many of our students particularly struggle with the grammar section of Lexia, so I filled the walls with simple explanations and examples… Students regularly refer to these visuals, and they have proved extremely helpful in supporting their understanding and confidence.”
Lisa didn’t stop there. She revamped how progress was celebrated by handing out certificates daily, paired with a small treat to recognise success in the moment.
“This simple change has had a huge impact—students are much more motivated, and they now push themselves to complete levels.”
Her weekly “Longest Streak” challenge keeps pupils focused and encourages them to ask for help when they need it, building both independence and resilience. Even staff get involved:
“We make it a point to model that mistakes are normal, even staff don’t always get the answers right! The students… take great joy in catching us out.”
A termly staff–student competition added a sense of fun and community and as the school has grown, so too has the Lexia cohort.
Congratulations to Lisa and The Forest School for an outstanding, learner-centred approach to Lexia!
Runner Up: Holy Rosary Primary School, Belfast
Submitted by: Pame Muñoz-Cabrera, Newcomer & Diversity Leader
Holy Rosary impressed us with its deeply embedded approach to supporting newcomer pupils and learners with diverse needs.
Lexia plays a central role in the school’s blended literacy strategy:
“We embed Lexia daily as part of a blended approach to reading instruction.”
Direct teaching works hand-in-hand with Lexia’s adaptive tasks. Pame uses Lexia’s resources to plan small-group interventions focused on phonics, vocabulary, and reading strategies:
“Lexia adds to their learning journey by reinforcing these skills digitally and giving them confidence through personalised practice.”
To keep engagement high, the team at Holy Rosary do the following:
- Support pupils in tracking their own progress through Lexia’s dashboards, which motivates them to reach milestones.
- Celebrate achievements weekly with certificates, shout-outs and treats.
- Use Lexia’s data to plan interventions and ensure every child gets the right level of challenge.
This thoughtful, consistent approach has made a real difference for pupils at Holy Rosary.
Runner Up: King Edward VI Community College, Totnes
Submitted by: Yasmin Biggins, Literacy Lead
Our second runner-up demonstrated powerful, whole-school consistency from Year 7 all the way to Year 11.
“We have been using Lexia for two years, and the impact it has had on our students has been truly life-changing.”
Anchor charts and display materials support literacy across the intervention space, and older pupils benefit from bespoke GCSE-aligned targets. The end-of-year data tells a compelling story:
“Many demonstrate significant gains in their reading and spelling ages, with some even exceeding age expectations.”
Motivation is boosted with generous prizes, many donated by the local community. Highlights include skip-the-queue passes, food vouchers and an end-of-term raffle. Sharing progress updates with donors has strengthened community relationships as well as pupil engagement.
The most meaningful impact, however, is on students’ confidence:
“When a child who previously struggled with low self-esteem and confidence feels secure enough to raise their hand and read aloud, it is a clear sign that the programme is making a meaningful difference.” Yasmin Biggins, Literacy Lead
Proven Results
Backed by independent research and trusted by thousands of educators, our literacy programmes are research-proven.
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Find out how we are helping schools to accelerate their literacy progress.
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The festive season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than by infusing the festive spirit into your classroom literacy activities? Christmas-themed literacy exercises not only engage students but also make learning more enjoyable.
Here are 5 Christmas-themed literacy activities to keep your pupils reading all the way up to the end of term:
1. Santa’s Spelling Workshop
Transform your classroom into Santa’s Spelling Workshop by organising a spelling competition with a festive twist. Include words related to Christmas, winter and festive traditions. To add an extra layer of excitement, you can offer small rewards or certificates to the winners.
2. Christmas Story Writing Contest
Encourage creativity and imagination by hosting a Christmas story writing contest. Students can craft their own festive tales, incorporating characters like Rudolph, Santa, or even mischievous elves. Display the winning stories in the school library to showcase the budding literary talents of your students.
3. Seasonal Poetry Contest
Introduce the art of poetry by organising a seasonal poetry contest. Students can compose and perform poems that capture the essence of Christmas, winter landscapes, or their own experiences. This activity not only hones their literacy skills but also builds confidence in public speaking.
4. Festive Book Club
Start a festive book club where students can choose and read Christmas-themed books together. This not only promotes reading but also encourages thoughtful discussions about the plot, characters, and themes. Consider inviting local authors or storytellers to share their festive tales with the students.
5. Elf on the Grammar Shelf
Create an “Elf on the Shelf” inspired grammar game. Place a mischievous elf figurine in different spots around the classroom, each time with a note containing a sentence with a grammatical error. Challenge students to find and correct the error, turning it into a fun and interactive grammar lesson.
Embracing the festive season in your literacy activities adds a touch of joy and enthusiasm to the learning environment. These Christmas-themed activities not only promote literacy skills but also foster a love for reading and writing.
As you plan next year’s curriculum, don’t forget include Lexia Core5 Reading and Lexia PowerUp Literacy in your plans to support students in their literacy journey.
Merry Christmas and happy reading!
Proven Results
Backed by independent research and trusted by thousands of educators, our literacy programmes are research-proven.
Real Schools, Real Stories
Find out how we are helping schools to accelerate their literacy progress.
Blog
Keep up to date with the latest industry news from LexiaUK.
Thousands of schools across the UK and Ireland trust Lexia Core5 Reading to help pupils build strong reading skills. Lexia provides a structured, evidence-based approach that delivers measurable progress, regardless of whether you are supporting early literacy acquisition or providing targeted intervention.
We’ve gathered voices from educators nationwide, sharing how Lexia has transformed reading outcomes, increased pupil confidence and supported teachers with actionable data.
These schools are closing reading gaps and seeing real impact, and your school can too. Hear first-hand how Lexia helps teachers turn assessment into action.
Your school’s success story starts here
Discover how Lexia Core5 Reading can help your pupils build confidence, develop key reading skills and achieve measurable progress.
Fill in the form below, and one of our Literacy Programme Consultants will get in touch to offer personalised advice, guidance and a 30-day free trial of Lexia Core5.
Take the first step: Complete the form below and start your school’s literacy journey today.
At Moyle Primary School, Larne, Northern Ireland, Hannah Henry (P1 Teacher & Lexia Coordinator) and Allison Perry (Lexia Support Teacher) have been seeing remarkable literacy growth from Lexia’s Core5 Reading programme. As our Star School for November 2025, Hannah and Allison discuss why they chose Lexia to support pupils flagged through dyslexia screening. They share how they organise daily routines to make the programme work, and what makes Lexia different from other literacy tools.
Their inspiring story shows how a structured, engaging, and effective approach can make a real difference in literacy outcomes.
How did you first come across the Lexia program and what led to the school’s final decision to purchase?
Hannah: I was part of the curriculum team at the time, and we were researching how we could best support children who had been flagged through the dyslexia screener. We were researching different options, what interventions we could use, and that’s when I first heard about Lexia.
It actually came through a contact at another school who recommended it to me. We arranged a demonstration and started trialling it with small groups to see how it worked in practice.
We absolutely loved it. The individual learning paths, the teacher-friendly reports, and the fact that the pupils really enjoyed it made such a difference. That’s really what led us to the decision to go ahead with it.
Allison: After doing some training with LexiaUK around May last year, I learned a lot more about the admin side. Things like adding pupils, assigning them to classes, and even about the PowerUp programme, which I hadn’t realised we had access to before.
What do you feel makes Lexia stand apart from other reading skills software products on the market?
Hannah: It really is real-time monitoring of the children. Alison’s brilliant at picking up if a child is flagged, she can identify them straight away, and then we can get individual lessons sorted. Any difficulties are nipped in the bud, and we can feed that back to teachers so they know where a child might be struggling.
Allison: That’s one of the things I really like: not only do you get immediate feedback if a child hasn’t understood something, but you can also print out a one-to-one lesson and deliver it right away. You’re addressing the skill they struggled with on the same day, not waiting six months and hoping they remember.
Sometimes when I go to deliver a lesson, the children will say, ‘Oh, I was doing that on Lexia!’ In fact, there have been times when a pupil has even explained the spelling rule back to me perfectly, and I’ve thought, ‘Right, you clearly get this now, we don’t even need to continue with the lesson.’
Hannah: There’s also a nice bit of healthy competition. Pupils will almost challenge each other to see how many units they can complete. I love that energy.
How is Lexia used in your school?
Hannah: Every half term, teachers meet with the principal, vice principal and senior leaders to identify children they feel would benefit from Lexia. From there I pass them on to Allison and that’s when we set up the timetable.
Allison: We run three sessions a day, Monday to Friday, in the mornings. I also keep two afternoons each week as ‘mop-up’ sessions. That’s when I monitor who hasn’t met their unit target, who needs extra support or who might need a one-to-one lesson. I encourage the children to focus on their unit goal rather than just the time goal. The aim is that every student gets at least three 30-minute sessions a week, which is enough time to meet both their unit and time goals. If they don’t, they go into a mop-up session.
Hannah: Some children work better in smaller nurture groups, especially in Alison’s room, where we have the therapy dog, Nessa, while others do fine in larger groups. Some are too tired in the afternoon, others don’t arrive at school until later, so we avoid putting them in early sessions. And a small number prefer working in class rather than group sessions, but they’re monitored just as closely.
Allison: We’re very lucky to have a dedicated literacy coordinator, supportive leadership and extra staff to share the workload, whether that’s delivering lessons or helping with admin like printing and preparation.
If you want Lexia to be successful, you do need to put staff into it. The best way to make it work is to create a specific role for someone to deliver and manage the programme, rather than giving it as an extra responsibility. That’s essentially what’s been done for me, and it makes all the difference.
Describe the impact that Lexia has had on your pupils
Hannah: Yeah, I think the impact has just been amazing. Even from my own experience in P5 and P4, I’ve noticed a real difference. A lot of the pupils who had been struggling with reading now have so much more confidence. Their fluency has improved, and they enjoy seeing their own progress. They love that sense of achievement.
We present Lexia certificates in assembly, which really helps celebrate success. You can see how much it means to them. They know exactly when they’re due one and will be waiting eagerly to go up.
Hannah: Our principal even said he should rename assembly the ‘Lexia Assembly’ because so many certificates were being awarded. It’s brilliant, though, because the children absolutely love it. And what’s been really encouraging is seeing those pupils who normally freeze at the word ‘literacy’ actually enjoying Lexia. For them, it doesn’t even feel like literacy, it feels different and that’s powerful.
Can you give an example of a Lexia success that sticks out to you?
Hannah: Yes, so there’s one child I’m thinking of. He was in Primary 5, and in a single year he went up nine levels. It was amazing! He was just so motivated.
Because I’d taught him the year before, I knew him well, and even when I saw him outside class he’d be saying, ‘Guess what? Guess how many levels I’ve done? Guess how many units I’ve got today?’
Allison: He was just so excited. You couldn’t get rid of him, he was always at the door saying, ‘Do you need me this afternoon?’ If there was a space, I’d let him come in, because he just loved it so much.
How have you used rewards to motivate and celebrate success on the Lexia program?
Allison: We track who gets the highest number of units each week. Those pupils get to come down to our little Lexia classroom, where they can see Nessa, our therapy dog, and pick a treat from the box of goodies.
How useful have you found the myLexia reports in terms of demonstrating progression and informing planning?
Hannah: Yeah, it’s been really, really useful. At the end of the year we were printing out the overview, and Alison and I looked at it together. It was so detailed, and very interesting to see the levels.
I’ve also found it helpful that teachers can see very clearly where a student might be struggling. I keep a shared resource for staff, so if a child is flagged in a certain area, teachers can go in and see relevant support materials. We also have the workbooks for children, which teachers can use too.
Allison: The key is getting all staff on board. Timetables are busy and nobody wants ‘something extra.’ But once I’d done the training with LexiaUK, I realised how important it was for everyone to know what’s available and how to access it. It doesn’t just have to be children on Lexia who benefit, the Skill Builders and worksheets can be used by any member of staff. If a teacher wants to cover, say, “Magic E”, the resources are already there.
It helps keep everything joined up, and stops us reinventing the wheel. The information is already there, and using it just makes life so much easier.
What main piece of advice would you give to a school that was just getting started with Lexia?
Hannah: I think the key is to start with a really clear plan. At the beginning it can feel a bit overwhelming, so make sure from the start that staff understand how to use the reports and the resources.
It also helps to have a clear Lexia lead. Not too many people all doing the same thing, but also not leaving it all to one person either.
Allison: We’re also very lucky to have a dedicated space where children can come out of class for Lexia. We have tried running it within classrooms, and that can work for a few pupils, but it really needs a classroom assistant there to keep children on track.
Hannah: Finally, with the children themselves, I’d say celebrate them early on. Build engagement right from the start. Those small wins really matter, get the certificates printed and handed out quickly, and make them feel excited and invested.
What feedback have you had from your Lexia pupils?
Hannah: Yeah, so the feedback’s very positive. They like the fact that they get this time that’s just for them. They have their own login, they can see everything so clearly, and it’s theirs to do. It adapts to their level, so they’re working on things suited to them, and they also have choice in it.
Allison: They’ve also become very au fait with checking their progress. They’ll quickly go back to the home screen to see how many units they’ve done and how much time they’ve spent. They’ll often say things like, ‘Oh, I’ve done 40 minutes more than I should have,’ or ‘My unit wheel is complete.’ They really know where they’re at. It’s empowering for them, putting them in control.
Hannah: And a lot of the kids love having Nessa, our therapy dog, in the room. Even when she’s just walking around, they stay focused and engaged.
Allison: You’ll see them with their headphones on, working on their iPad, while patting the dog with the other hand. It’s very sweet.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Hannah: I think one reason it’s been so successful is because we’ve got clear responsibilities and good communication. We check in with each other regularly, how are things going, what needs to change and we’re adaptable. If something’s not working, we adjust.
We also talk a lot with class teachers. They’ll tell us if a pupil is struggling a bit, or finding it hard to come out of class, and we’ll think about ways to change things.
If you could describe Lexia in 3 words, what 3 words would you use?
Both: We’ll go with “3 E’s”: Engaging, effective and empowering!
Step into the Literacy Spotlight
In March 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) published its Curriculum and Assessment Review: Interim Report, the first major review of the education framework in more than a decade. Its aim is to ensure the curriculum remains “fit for purpose,” equipping learners with the skills and knowledge they need for the future.
The government has since responded, reaffirming ambitions for a curriculum that is rich, inclusive and aspirational. Literacy remains central, with strong foundations in reading, writing and comprehension highlighted as essential for lifelong learning.
While the response provides direction, many of the practical challenges, such as delivering the curriculum effectively in busy classrooms and supporting pupils with diverse needs, will still fall on schools to address.
Key Stage 1: Strengthening the foundations
At Key Stage 1, the Review reinforces the importance of phonics as the cornerstone of early reading. The phonics screening check remains statutory and early decoding skills continue to be critical. However, the report recognises that a crowded curriculum can sometimes prevent pupils from achieving true depth before progressing.
What this could mean for schools:
- Maintain a systematic phonics programme with emphasis on fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
- Review sequencing to ensure pupils master core reading concepts before moving on.
- Provide early intervention for pupils who do not meet phonics benchmarks.
- Promote reading for pleasure from the very start of education.
Government response:
The DfE has set an ambitious target that 90% of Year 1 pupils meet the phonics screening benchmark. Schools are expected to adopt systematic synthetic phonics programmes, supported by up-to-date training and resources. For pupils at risk of falling behind, the government highlights early identification and intervention, alongside the expansion of the “Reading Ambition for All” professional development programme.
While promising, these measures may still require schools to adapt resources to ensure every child, including those with SEND, achieves mastery.
In practice:
Lexia Core5 Reading helps schools translate these priorities into classroom impact. Its sequenced, adaptive pathways guide pupils from phonics through to fluent reading, reinforcing comprehension, vocabulary and automaticity.
For pupils needing extra support, Lexia delivers targeted, personalised practice, allowing early intervention. Teachers receive real-time data to track progress, pinpoint gaps and plan instruction efficiently, ensuring government priorities are realised.
Key Stage 2: Depth, writing, and transition
At Key Stage 2, literacy challenges persist. In 2024, only 61% of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined. Assessment approaches may not fully capture the breadth of literacy skills, particularly in writing.
What this could mean for schools:
- Balance reading and writing instruction to develop comprehension and composition equally.
- Adjust writing assessments to encourage authentic, creative expression alongside technical accuracy.
- Emphasise comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking.
- Prepare pupils for the literacy demands of secondary school.
Government response:
The DfE acknowledges that mastering literacy foundations is essential. They desire greater clarity and specificity in English, particularly in speaking, listening and drama. Furthermore, a new oracy framework will be introduced. Grammar teaching will be reviewed to ensure it is taught in context rather than in isolation, and some complex concepts may be moved into KS3 to allow more time for mastery at primary level.
In practice:
Lexia Core5 helps upper-primary pupils develop deeper comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking, while reinforcing grammar and composition skills in context. Its sequenced pathways support secondary transition, closing literacy gaps before Year 6 ends. Teachers benefit from real-time insights for personalised instruction, ensuring pupils achieve both fluency and depth regardless of curriculum change.
SEND and inclusion: Literacy for every learner
The Review emphasises that the system is “not working for all pupils”, with persistent gaps for disadvantaged learners and those with SEND.
- Embed accessibility and inclusion into literacy teaching.
- Identify reading difficulties early, with tailored interventions.
- Use multisensory and scaffolded approaches for pupils with dyslexia, speech and language needs or other learning differences.
- Provide additional phonics, fluency and comprehension support for older pupils who continue to struggle.
Government response:
The government supports inclusion and highlights the need for a rich, sequenced curriculum for all pupils, alongside resources and professional development. However, much of the responsibility remains with schools, and additional support may not reach every setting, particularly for pupils with more complex needs.
In practice:
Lexia Core5 ensures all learners, including those with SEND, work at the right level through personalised, adaptive pathways. Pupils build confidence and literacy skills, while teachers receive actionable data to target support, bridging gaps even where broader system support is limited.
Implications for teachers, SENDCOs, and literacy leaders
The Review and government response emphasise the importance of professional development focused on mastery, progression and inclusion. Schools may want to:
- Strengthen coherence between KS1 and KS2 literacy planning.
- Use formative assessment and data to track reading depth and attainment.
- Encourage collaboration between literacy leads and SENDCOs.
- Reflect on how literacy teaching prepares pupils for KS3.
While the government sets the strategic direction, schools will need strong leadership, strategic planning and effective tools to deliver these outcomes.
Moving forward: Building confident, fluent readers
The Curriculum and Assessment Review and government response provide a clear vision for literacy, but schools remain central to making it work in practice.
By prioritising mastery, comprehension, and reading for pleasure, schools can ensure pupils develop confidence, fluency, and lifelong reading habits. Lexia Core5 offers the structure, adaptive practice, and insights to help schools deliver this vision effectively, supporting teachers and learners every step of the way.
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Discover the impact of Lexia in classrooms around the UK
We are thrilled to publish the 2025 Data Report into the efficacy of Lexia Core5 Reading – our comprehensive, research proven literacy skills program aimed at KS1/2.
Our latest data report contains findings from the 2024/25 academic year, with a sample size of 600 schools that have implemented the program. Based on consistent, structured usage, we have found pupils achieving up to 17 months’ average reading progress.
Download the report today to see how Lexia Core5 can make an impact in your school.
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.