As we have now entered the ‘ber’ months, I have started noticing the cooler mornings, shorter days and the browning leaves. Along with these seasonal shifts, we also welcome in a new academic year.

I always find that September makes me more reflective, and oddly more energised for ‘New Year’s Resolutions’, than January ever does. One thought that keeps coming back to me this year is the importance of simply starting. Big projects can feel overwhelming, but if I commit to just one small step, the rest seems to flow more naturally. September is full of these small steps that set us up for a smoother term and a more successful academic year.  

Below, I have shared my top September ‘small steps’ for phonics leaders, reading leaders and school leaders. Hopefully, they will be useful for you too.

Phonics Leaders:

• Book any new or untrained staff onto SSP training
• Check everyone has the resources they need to teach phonics, and make sure they know where to go if anything is missing.
• Use summer term and baseline assessments to identify pupils who may need additional support, and share this information with the relevant staff members.
• Add key dates to the school calendar- assessment windows, meetings with SLT, practise and coaching sessions, and parent engagement events.
• Remind all reading teachers of lesson expectations.
• Share progress expectations with all reading teachers.
• Meet the new reception intake and introduce yourself.

Reading Leaders:

• Revisit the Reading Framework and use the guidance to create an action plan for the academic year ahead.
• Visit classrooms and explore bookshelves- take photographs of good practice and reflect on ways to uplevel these even further.
• Visit the school library (both with a class present and when empty). Reflect on how it is being used and how it could be improved.
• Talk with children and staff about their favourite books from last year, then add similar titles to a wishlist for future purchases (or even better- purchase them straight away!).
• Reflect upon the purpose and location of the reading displays: do they promote book talk, share recommendations or highlight a specific author?
• Add 10 minutes of ‘book club’ to the start of staff meetings to encourage book talk among adults too.
• Drop in during story time and reflect upon how books are being shared.

School Leaders:

• Priortise reading and phonics in the school development plan so they remain visible and central throughout the year.
• Book staff members onto free CPD sessions that will strengthen their practice.
• Ensure regular meetings with the phonics leader are scheduled each half term to discuss pupil progress and explore additional support needed.
• Review intervention provision to check that pupils needing additional support are getting timely, evidence-based support, linked to the validated SSP.
• Protect time for middle leaders so they can realistically carry out their roles and responsibilities.

September can feel like a juggling act, but those early small steps really do make a difference. Whether it’s introducing yourself to a new child, refreshing your action plan, or booking in CPD, each action builds momentum. By the time the term is in full swing, you’ll thank yourself for investing the time now. So here’s to starting strong, one small step at a time.