On Wednesday 17th June, we returned to Mill View Primary School in Chester – one of our Flagship Schools – for a very special in-person showcase. With MAT leaders, Headteachers and English Subject Leads joining us from across, the event was a vibrant celebration of what is possible when consistent, high-quality literacy teaching is embedded across a school.

This year’s event was even more exciting as we were able to showcase how our Ready Steady Write and Ready Steady Spell resources can help all schools to honour the Writing Framework and the development of the foundational skills needed to become effective writers. We also revealed our brand-new handwriting element too, making it even easier to ensure a firm focus on transcription across primary.

We were joined by colleagues from our Consultancy, Product and Engagement Team, who offered delegates expert insights, personal support and answers to common questions on implementation, training and leadership.

Engagement, Purpose and Pupil Voice

The much-loved Pupil Voice Stations returned this year, where children from different year groups shared their journey through a Ready Steady Write unit. From immersive Booktalk and drama to planning, drafting and final publication. Each child was able to explain how the working wall supported their writing, how Sentence Accuracy helped them improve and why they now feel more confident as writers and readers.

We also had a reading station, where children shared their love of the books studied and helped visitors to understand how they use a range of strategies to fully comprehend fiction, non-fiction and poetry books.

Sentences drive writing development

There was a opportunity to listen to a school leader share books from EYFS to Y6, showing the development of sentences. Visitors could see how Ready Steady Write secures the basics through explicit instruction leading to high quality outcomes for all. A well sequenced curriculum, a focus on oral rehearsal, dictation and modelled sentence work all contribute to children becoming fluent in this aspect of writing, which in turn ensures they can be effective writers when more challenging writing tasks are introduced.

Seeing Impact Firsthand

Attendees explored classrooms filled with beautiful displays, purposeful working walls and evidence of progression across the curriculum. From Sentence Accuracy boards to annotated Example Texts, each space reflected high expectations and the supportive structure provided by Literacy Counts resources.

Our Head of Consultancy, Claire, shared her reflections:
“It was wonderful to listen to the children talking with pride about their work in reading and writing lessons. Their clear articulation of the writing process really helped our visitors to see how the resources and pedagogy-rich approaches help children to view themselves as real writers. Our visitors were able to ask questions of all stakeholders to really understand how Ready Steady Literacy can be effectively embedded in order to achieve high standards.”

From Page to Practice: A Writer’s Perspective

We were also joined by Nuala, from product development, who reflected on seeing her work in action:
“Being able to visit Mill View and see the resources in action was a real highlight for me. Hearing the children speak so confidently about their learning and watching them share their work with such pride was incredibly inspiring. Working behind the scenes, you don't always get the opportunity to see the impact in classrooms, so it was wonderful to witness first-hand the engagement, confidence and progress that a consistent approach can help to foster.”

A Closer Look at Spelling

This year’s event also included a session on Ready Steady Spell– our progressive, research-informed spelling programme. Delegates saw how Rule Rhymes, memory strategies and diagnostic assessments work together to support consistent spelling teaching, reduce teacher workload and close gaps in learning.

A whole school solution

Ready Steady Read Together, our comprehensive reading programme was also in the spotlight. With engaging texts, a focus on metacognition, comprehension quizzes, a commitment to speaking and listening and a focus on reading for pleasure, the resource sits perfectly in the Year of Reading and would inspire and support any learner.

A Big Thank You

We are incredibly grateful to the staff and children at Mill View Primary School for hosting us with such warmth and enthusiasm. The event was a wonderful opportunity to bring leaders together, spark ideas and share the transformative potential of a consistent, evidence-informed approach to literacy.

Not able to attend one of our flagship events this year?

We will be hosting more throughout the next academic year – make sure to follow us on social media or join our mailing list so you hear first.

Want to explore how our resources could support your school?

Book a free 1:1 call with an expert consultant to see how you can achieve results like Mill View.