We're here because every child deserves to read
Learn about our programme, our history and the passionate team that makes it all possible.
What is Sounds-Write?
Sounds-Write is a systematic synthetic phonics programme validated by the Department for Education in England. The programme was developed more than 20 years ago, and has been successfully tried and tested in thousands of schools around the world. Sounds-Write is highly effective in both whole-class and intervention settings, and across a broad spectrum of needs.
Our guiding principles
KNOWLEDGE
Excellent teaching comes from expert teachers
At Sounds-Write, we believe that the most powerful tool to teach reading and spelling isn’t just the curriculum—it’s a teacher’s deep understanding of how phonics works. By equipping teachers with expert-level knowledge and the confidence to apply it, we empower them to create a profound impact on literacy outcomes.
RESEARCH
20+ years of being led by research
Sounds-Write draws on decades of research on cognitive science and combines this with practical teaching techniques that have been thoroughly tried and tested over 20+ years. Every element of our approach, from our scope and sequence to our lesson scripts, is grounded in the Science of Learning.
CLARITY
From simple to complex
The Sounds-Write programme follows a clear, cumulative scope and sequence. It introduces new sounds and spellings explicitly while providing plenty of opportunities to practise prior learning. The approach takes children from the very first stages of learning to read and spell all the way through to complex polysyllabic words.
INCLUSION
Sounds-Write is for all learners
Sounds-Write is used successfully with a diverse range of learners in different settings, including special schools. Its multi-sensory, structured approach makes it highly effective for learners across a broad spectrum of additional needs. It is designed to be used across age groups, both in whole-class and intervention settings.
Everything you need in one place
Our annual membership includes everything you need to deliver our tried and tested phonics programme across your school.
Our mission and values
Our mission is to improve the life chances of children by ensuring they become proficient readers and writers. We believe that teachers’ knowledge is key to achieving our mission, so we provide top-quality, evidence-informed training for educators to teach reading and spelling effectively.
Our core values are simple. Inclusivity, social responsibility, commitment to excellence and evidence-informed practice make us who we are.
Say hello to the Sounds-Write team!
John Walker
Founder and CEO
Bio
John is the founder and CEO of Sounds-Write and one of the co-authors of the programme.
John has been a qualified teacher, university lecturer and teacher trainer for over thirty years, teaching English language and literature in many different countries and settings.
He trains practitioners in Sounds-Write and promotes the Sounds-Write programme in schools and other educational institutions across the world.
John is an enthusiastic edu-blogger, who posts regularly on all aspects of literacy teaching at his site theliteracyblog.com.
Tita Beaven
Director of e-learning & Innovation
Bio
Tita has a background in e-learning and is the designer and author of many teaching resources, including some of the Sounds-Write books and the Sounds-Write online courses.
She holds a doctorate in Educational Technology, and for over 25 years was an academic at The Open University, UK, where she designed online and distance courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Anna Comas-Quinn
Head of Research & Development
Bio
Anna has a doctorate in education and spent nearly three decades working in academia, most recently as a senior lecturer at The Open University, UK. She researches and publishes on education and language learning and has co-edited three collections of case studies by education practitioners. She is the editor of Systematic synthetic phonics: case studies from Sounds‐Write practitioners (2022).
Kelly Cross
Head of Business
Bio
Kelly is Head of Business at Sounds-Write and is responsible for the operational and business management aspects of the company. Kelly started her career after graduating from university with a Degree in Sociology with Law. Her first job was at Orange working as a Bid Manager, responding to tenders and negotiating contracts for their largest corporate customers. She continued her career in Bid Management for over 20 years and at the point of leaving BT in November 2021, she was a team manager managing a team of 15.
Kelly is passionate about Sounds-Write having seen the benefits first hand with her son who has Moderate Learning Difficulties and who learnt to read and write using the Sounds-Write programme.
Laura Walker
Digital Product Lead
Bio
Laura Walker is Sounds-Write’s Content Development Manager. Laura has a background in fundraising and content creation for a variety of children’s charities. She also holds a Master’s in Human Rights from the University of Sussex, where she focused, in part, on inclusive education. Laura brings her passion for children’s rights and education to her role at Sounds-Write, where she manages the production of decodable readers and hosts The Sounds-Write Podcast.
Clare Booker
CRM Manager
Bio
Clare holds the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Manager position at Sounds-Write, where her primary focus is fostering a welcoming and interactive community of phonics professionals. Drawing from her extensive management experience with sales and marketing teams across various industries, Clare recognises the significance of the customer journey within our organisation and is committed to its ongoing enhancement.
Clare takes pride in contributing to future generations’ literacy and writing development, emphasising the vital role phonics plays in their educational journey.
Laila Sadler
Literary Specialist (UK)
Bio
Laila is an in-house trainer at Sounds-Write and a Literacy Specialist at the Kingsnorth English Hub. As a Literacy Specialist she supports leaders in schools to implement and evaluate their early reading provision. During her career, she has worked as a Class Teacher across Reception and Key Stage 1, an Early Years Moderator, ECT Mentor and Assistant Head Teacher within East Sussex. She has led English and EYFS for 9 years and implemented Sounds-Write within her school.
She wholeheartedly believes in the Sounds-Write programme as she has experienced first-hand the impact on her students when she acquired the knowledge and expertise from the high-quality training. She is passionate about sharing this knowledge to enable and empower more educators with the expertise and skills to make a lasting difference to children’s literacy development and their future.
Caroline Hardisty
Literacy Specialist (UK)
Bio
Caroline is an in-house trainer at Sounds-Write, where she supports newly-trained practitioners. She taught across the primary age range for 18 years and spent 7 years as English Lead with particular responsibility for the development of early reading and writing.
After completing her Sounds-Write training she was responsible for overseeing the successful implementation of the programme throughout her school. She firmly believes that Sounds-Write is the best approach to ensure that all of our children can learn to read and write.
Jacinda Vaughan
Literacy Specialist (Australia)
Bio
Jacinda brings to Sounds-Write a broad career base. She completed a Degree in Psychology, graduating with Distinction. Her work within disability services and early childhood sectors brought her to primary education. She has taught early childhood and primary-aged children in New Zealand and Australia over the past 15 years.
Her commitment to improved literacy outcomes for all students led her to Sounds-Write. Jacinda guided the implementation of Sounds-Write across her primary school in Canberra in 2016 and over the next 7 years she applied the Sounds-Write teaching principles in her classrooms. Then as the Classroom Support Coordinator (Inclusive Education), she has worked with teachers, families and students to see immense growth and the powerful impact that Sounds-Write has had on every student. Her work in this field saw her recognised as a Highly Accomplished Teacher in 2019.
Jacinda’s role as an in-house trainer for Australia will see her support schools and practitioners to achieve positive outcomes for all students.
Kim Green
Learner Support & Admin
Bio
Kim is a freelance worker supporting the setup and running of the Sounds-Write courses. Prior to this, Kim worked in the design and support of modules at The Open University, the last 10 years as Senior Production Manager specialising in learning design and technology-enhanced learning.
Jehan Softly
Administrator
Bio
Jehan has dedicated much of her career to education, beginning with a PGCE in secondary English. Over the years, she has taught English and Media, led practical road safety training for primary school children at a local authority, and currently serves as a primary school governor.
After transitioning from the classroom, Jehan expanded her expertise into administrative and operational roles across the childcare and higher education sectors. She is thrilled to bring together her diverse experience and passion for education in her current role at Sounds-Write.
Jodie Leyman
Marketing Manager
Bio
Jodie is our Marketing Manager and looks after the website, social media, email marketing and advertising. She has over five years experience in marketing roles and enjoys the variety that the job brings to each working day.
Jodie studied a BA Honors Degree in Creative Media and English Literature.
You can contact Jodie with any media opportunities by emailing marketing@sounds-write.co.uk.