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Why did Thornton Primary School choose FFT Success for All Phonics?
Thornton Primary undertook a thorough evaluation process before selecting FFT’s Success for All Phonics programme. The school identified fluency as a key area for improvement and was drawn to the scheme’s high expectations and strong emphasis on developing fluent readers. The inclusion of the RAP programme further supported this goal, offering a clear and efficient way to track and monitor fluency across the school.
Staff at Thornton Primary highlighted several reasons for choosing the scheme. The resources were found to be highly engaging for pupils and easy for staff to use. Teachers appreciated the simplicity and clarity of the materials, which allowed them to implement lessons with minimal preparation.
Cost-effectiveness was another important factor. With budget constraints in mind, the school found the pricing of the programme to be very competitive, especially considering the breadth of resources and support included.
The flexibility of training options also played a key role in their decision. Thornton valued the availability of both on-demand and in-person training, which enabled them to train new staff efficiently and allowed existing staff to revisit specific areas as needed.
FFT's introductory webinars were particularly helpful during the decision-making process. These sessions provided a clear overview of the scheme and gave staff the opportunity to ask questions and explore how the programme would meet their needs.
The school praised the structure of the phonics programme and its use of cooperative learning strategies, which they found to be both innovative and highly effective in supporting pupil progress.
Farah Ayub
Deputy Headteacher
We have successfully implemented the FFT Success for All Phonics programme since last academic year and feel that this has had a huge impact on developing our children's phonic knowledge and improving our reading attainment.
Our teachers and support staff have accessed regular training throughout the year and our monitoring and assessment has shown that the programme has been delivered with fidelity and enthusiasm. This has been further confirmed by an in-school supportive audit, carried out by FFT, which highlighted several areas of strength.
We are now in a strong position where the programme is being delivered consistently across our EYFS and KS1 setting. We are looking forward to continuing our FFT journey with the full implementation and embedding of FFT's spelling & reading programmes (Routes to Reading and Spelling with the Jungle Club).
Implementing the programme
The school found implementing the programme to be incredibly positive due to the high level of CPD support available from FFT. A wide range of CPD has been offered for the Early Reading Lead, teachers and support staff. The CPD offer has been flexible with on-demand sessions, which meant that staff could be released at different times to access the training. They were also able to revisit the sessions when required.
Ready-made resources have enabled the programme to be delivered efficiently and effectively, ensuring consistency in delivery. Through joint monitoring, FFT follow-up visits have provided further CPD for the Early Reading Lead in identifying areas of strength and areas for development which have all had an impact on improving teaching and learning.
Teachers across the school have accessed the Reading Assessment Programme training. The programme has been used across the school on a half-termly or termly basis (depending on the year group) to analyse GPC gaps and fluency levels.
85%
Year 1 pass rate
93%
Year 2 pass rate
Reading progress made
Thornton Primary has observed a noticeable improvement in spelling since implementing the FFT Success for All Phonics programme alongside Spelling with the Jungle Club. Pupils are increasingly recognising and applying the spelling patterns taught, which is reflected in the quality of their written work.
In addition to spelling, the school has reported a significant rise in reading fluency levels. This improvement highlights the effectiveness of the programme in supporting early literacy development and reinforces the school’s decision to prioritise fluency as a key focus area.
Spotlight on pupil progress
FFT Success for All Phonics has made a measurable impact across several key areas of reading. The structured approach to phonics has led to a significant improvement in children’s grapheme-phoneme correspondence (GPC) knowledge. In addition, the school is beginning to see clear progress in pupils’ reading fluency and decoding skills, further supporting their overall reading development.
Thornton Primary has seen a marked improvement in pupil outcomes since introducing the FFT Success for All Phonics programme. Children who began the programme in Reception have nearly doubled their Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) scores compared to those who had not accessed the programme the previous year. The number of pupils working at age-related expectations in reading has also doubled since the programme’s implementation.
A clear example of the programme’s impact can be seen when comparing two pupils of similar academic ability. Child A, who did not complete the FFT Success for All Phonics programme in Reception, was reading at 44 Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) in Autumn 1. In contrast, Child B, who did complete the programme in Reception, achieved 85 WCPM during the same period.
Why is Thornton Primary School pleased with FFT Success for All Phonics?
Farah Ayub, Deputy Headteacher, highlights the benefits seen since using the phonics programme:
Shared Reader lessons have played a key role in developing pupils’ reading comprehension skills.
The Spelling with the Jungle Club platform and accompanying workbooks have been a hit with pupils, who thoroughly enjoy using them.