Lexonik specialises in accelerating literacy progress through evidence-based interventions and expert-led training. Our programmes are designed to close literacy gaps quickly, equipping students with the skills they need to succeed across every subject.
We bridge the gap between reading interventions and classroom instruction with a comprehensive, whole-school solution. By reducing teacher variability, we help school leaders ensure a consistent approach to literacy development. Our system strategically aligns targeted interventions with quality-first teaching, providing a unified framework for explicit vocabulary and reading instruction across the entire school.
Testimonials
Paul McClair - Wallace Hall Academy
Having considered others and had the benefit of working with this one across a number of pupils, it’s that it goes at a good pace and that progress is clearly evident.Nikki Waite - Trinity Academy St Edward’s
I’m fortunate to say that this is the third school into which I’ve introduced Lexonik!Adam Levick - Trinity Academy Leeds
The training is great, it’s a really effective approach and you can track the progress students are making. You won’t look back.Allison Peden - Melior Community Academy
The Lexonik team has been fantastic. They’re always quick to respond and are so supportive, which has been invaluable.Claire Beirne - Marple Hall
Lexonik has been a game-changer for us. Invest in it, and you’ll be amazed at the progress your students make.Case Studies
Northern Education Trust
Building the relationship to deliver trust-wide consistency and confidence
In November 2020, Northern Education Trust (NET) initiated their Trust-wide partnership with Lexonik, ensuring their consistency in approach to literacy interventions, teaching and progress across the Trust, as well as strategically aligning assessments with intervention solutions.
The journey to this Trust-wide partnership began with developing close relationships with key members of SLT. Northern Education Trust saw the impact of Lexonik Advance and Lexonik Leap in 11 schools initially and engaged in consultative conversations with the Directors at Lexonik, exploring an intervention map, using NGRT data from GL Assessment to identify intervention pathways and exploring the strategic solutions Lexonik could offer.
Alexandra Forsyth, Vice Principal at North Shore Academy, explains, “The Trust leadership team recognised that we needed to improve the consistency in our approach to reading assessment and tuition across the Trust. We needed to be serving our students with a more uniformed approach, in particular around reading, which was an area where we recognised that a number of our young people were having less than perfect outcomes.”
37-60 months range of reading age gains at North Shore Academy 15-28 points range of standardised score increase at North Shore Academy
Key outcomes
- Reading ages increased by 37-60 months across the three groups and standardised scores increased by 15-28 points.
- “It unmistakably builds confidence and makes students feel more resilient. They’re working out ways to decode words for themselves which produces a level of assertiveness and pride.”
- “What we then see with that increased confidence is children managing their behaviour better and coping with other aspects of the curriculum. What more could a teacher want for their students?”
Alexandra Forsyth – Vice Principal at North Shore Academy
Immediate impact
Alexandra said: “The results have been quite phenomenal, and the confidence and resilience this has built in our students is something we could never have expected.”
NET’s North Shore Academy is a case in point. After testing with NGRT, students were placed in three intervention groups who followed the Lexonik Advance programme from September to December 2021. Over this relatively short period, the average reading age increased by 37-60 months across the three groups and the average standardised score increased by 15-28 points.
Alexandra’s positive verdict is shared by her colleagues. She says the approach absolutely confirms the idea that when learning capacity is improved, so does the personal level of self-esteem and self-belief in that child.
Alexandra continues;
“We were blown away by how quickly Lexonik Advance showed us the success across the Trust. We had high expectations, but we were new to the concept of a reading intervention and were not sure of the results we might expect. It unmistakably builds confidence and makes students feel more resilient. They’re working out ways to decode words for themselves which produces a level of assertiveness and pride.
“What we then see, with that increased confidence, is children managing their behaviour better and coping with other aspects of the curriculum. What more could a teacher want for their students?”
Everyone on board
Lexonik consult with schools on a daily basis and stress the importance of ensuring interventions don’t just remain in the intervention classroom. All teachers need the skill, confidence and toolkit to explicitly teach key reading, vocabulary and spelling strategies, which results in improved quality-first teaching. NET therefore also began using Lexonik Vocabulary, Lexonik’s whole-school cloud-based programme, which connects the dots between what is learned in intervention and the classroom, as well as equipping all staff and students with the knowledge and skills necessary to comprehend academic vocabulary independently and at the point of need.
Staff training and confidence was also essential throughout this development, not only for those delivering the interventions, which is in the capable hands of the Lexonik Regional Trainers, but the training and confidence of all staff. We are not all English teachers, and most staff in the secondary sphere have little to no initial training in teaching reading, vocabulary, comprehension and spelling, so the whole-school CPD Lexonik delivered across all schools was invaluable.
Of equal importance to Northern Education Trust has been ensuring that the use of the intervention approach is perceived as fitting and favourable, not only with students but with their parents and, naturally, staff across the academies.
Trinity Academy Leeds
Adam Levick is a Teacher of Reading at Trinity Academy Leeds.
He found himself taking on a new role at a school where Lexonik had already been selected to form part of their literacy delivery.
A total of 400 students were screened and prioritised for intervention.
Here, he shares his thoughts and experiences.
Thanks so much for taking time to be with us Adam. You clearly have such a passion for reading, and hail from a background as a primary specialist. Tell us more:
That’s right, I joined the Academy in January 2024, having responded to an advert for the role of Teacher of Reading. I was told that the programme they already decided to use was Lexonik… which I knew nothing about, but was excited to learn.
So how did you gather insight and education?
I started by going home and learning as much as I could initially. It was fascinating.
My real education came via the training from the Lexonik trainers – in both Leap and Advance, as I have responsibility for delivering them both.
What had been the reason for the school choosing Lexonik over other interventions?
First, it’s quick and easy to deliver.
Also, really importantly – it’s pitched at secondary students.
From my understanding, a lot of phonics interventions could be quite childish and immature, which has a danger of putting our pupils off from engaging.
It also came highly recommended from other schools around the area, as well as across the country.
Other literacy leads had told us they had had brilliant results.
How was the training?
Amazing.
The trainer went through every step with us in a really thorough way and made sure we understood.
They went through each step and let us practice with each other in a way which allowed us to feel what it would be like as a student as well as a teacher.
It was actually quite fun, as well as the fact we were learning so much.
What about onward support?
We had an email address for the trainer so that we knew we could reach out if we had queries.
We also got training on the induction as well as the Cloud, so we would know how to track the interventions for their effectiveness.
Is there anything particular about the cohort of students at your school, which you felt might pose an added issue or require a particularly special intervention?
Our school has a high percentage of multilingual learners, around 70% of our Year 7, 8 & 9 students have English as a second language. This is higher than the national average but in line with our local community and the Burmantofts and Harehills area. The school recognised we needed to prioritise phonics instruction for our learners, many of whom had limited levels of conversational English.
What have your colleagues said about the programmes Lexonik provides?
They’re very impressed by it too.
They see how good it is for people whose reading age is behind or for whom English is not their first language.
I genuinely think my colleagues feel fulfilled using it and enjoy seeing the results.
One colleague is supporting a deaf student enrolled on the programme and has been impressed by the programme generally but particularly impressed in the impact it’s had on him and his confidence.
How do you maintain relationships and communication with other staff about the programme and the student progress?
I circulate a regular phonics newsletter, which identifies who is going through the programme and what sounds they’re working on. I work really closely with the SENCo so they’re always up to speed.
In addition to this, I like to make sure we celebrate progress, so we have a Beautiful Work assembly so that those who are ‘graduating’ Leap are celebrated and given a certificate.
You’ve managed to develop additional resources to complement Leap, haven’t you? Can you share more?
On recognising the significant level of need with the multilingual learners I was working with, many not having any prior experience of an SSP programme (systematic synthetic phonics), I developed resources to extend Leap and in particular to increase the number of graphemes.
I spent time analysing their curriculum areas and identified further graphemes to introduce, based on the frequency in their texts. I’ve produced resources and interwoven these in with the Leap activities and product resources. The flexible nature of the programme has made it really easy to do this.
On top of this, I produced additional materials to allow for practise and consolidation (even after graduation). I’m also supporting curriculum staff to improve their awareness and confidence with phonics-based instruction so they can adopt this in their teaching practice.
What would you say to anyone considering Lexonik as an intervention?
Definitely do it. The training is great, it’s a really effective approach and you can track the progress students are making.
You won’t look back.
Wallace Hall Academy
It’s a Powerful Intervention… So Everybody Wins
When Paul McClair made the move back to Scotland, after several years teaching in London, he was keen one particular intervention would travel with him. He shares his story with us.
It’s two years since you moved back to your native Scotland and found yourself as head of department at Wallace Hall, Paul. Can you tell us more about the school and that move?
That’s right. I had been teaching in London from 2018 until 2022, but was keen to move into a Head of Department role back in Scotland. I was fortunate enough to secure the post for English, Modern Languages and Literacy at the superb Wallace Hall Academy.
It’s a state-operated comprehensive, and has just marked its 300th year.
With literacy falling within your remit, were you quick to look at what interventions might be needed?
Yes. In fact, I’d even raised in my interview that I had been using Lexonik in my London post.
I arrived at Wallace Hall with full understanding of the number of pupils who required further support with their reading and vocabulary skills, so it was helpful that I had such deep knowledge of a programme which I knew worked so effectively.
Can you tell us a little bit about the experience of working with Lexonik at your London school, and how you’d first been introduced to it?
My headteacher had been made aware of it and as we had a body of around 67% students on pupil premium (many of whom were EAL), we wanted to adopt something which could significantly help their learning experience. The Lexonik training was an instant hit with us all. It was challenging, but sharp and pacey, and we instantly saw how engaged students got with it. There was no question as to whether we would take it up.
What sort of results did you see, by having it in place in that school?
26.4 Months Reading Age Gain.
Really impressive results of around 26.4 months improvement in reading age. Given the background of our pupils and the fact that the vast majority had no access to literacy provision at home – that was a huge achievement.
It was evidence to me of how powerful the intervention was, and that everyone wins from having it in place – pupils, teachers and families.
No wonder you were keen to embed it at Wallace Hall. What progress have you seen there among students?
Very similar – 25 to 26 months’ increase.
Again, the background of the student make-up is that we have a lot of students on PEF (Pupil Equity Fund – Scottish equivalent to Pupil Premium).
It was clear that the students needed a very effective intervention which would produce great results and which would engage them in the process.
I knew that Lexonik would do that.
Bearing in mind it was a product you already knew, how would you say the school community reacted? Were both teachers and pupils impressed and able to recognise a difference?
Definitely. Students leave the programme after six weeks with such a sense of achievement. Throughout the sessions they’re always looking forward to coming back the following week.
In fact, we’re now at a stage where pupils tell other pupils, and so I’m often getting asked by a student if they can join next time around.
Invariably, by the time I move on to starting a new cohort, I already have a waiting list!
That’s great. And teacher reaction?
Staff will often pass on that a student has been more engaged and that they notice increased confidence in asking questions or using broader vocabulary
What else is it that you specifically like about Lexonik?
For me, having considered others and had the benefit of working with this one across a number of pupils, it’s that it goes at a good pace and that progress is clearly evident.
I like that this is research based and independently verified.
What’s next for your journey with Lexonik?
I hope to build on the foundations Lexonik has established with many pupils in our school and enable our staff to begin using the language of Lexonik in the classroom with a whole-school literacy policy whereby all staff break down subject-specific vocabulary in the same way, much in line with how we do it in our Lexonik sessions.
This is a long-term goal and may take some time to fully implement but it is important we are aspirational in how we approach this kind of challenge.
What would you say to anyone thinking about embedding Lexonik at their school?
I’d say go for it and you won’t regret it. Although all schools are facing challenges with budgets and cost-cutting, Lexonik is a worthwhile investment which has proven to deliver on its promises. Being able to measure the impact immediately is fantastic and we have begun the process of aligning our Lexonik data with our ACEL data in the BGE and finding the impact on literacy-based subjects has been positive as well, so we know there is correlation happening organically in the pupils’ progress and attainment, which is great to see.
Melior Community Academy
The Challenge: Meeting the Needs of Middle-Ability Readers
Based in Scunthorpe, Melior Community Academy has a strong commitment to supporting students with diverse needs, particularly through targeted interventions for SEND students. However, as LRC Manager Allison Peden explains, the school identified a gap in support for “middle-ability” students—learners who struggled with reading but did not benefit from more basic interventions.
“We have students who are struggling readers, but many of the existing interventions just weren’t appropriate for their ability level. We needed a solution that was engaging, effective, and well-suited to these students’ needs.” — Allison Peden, LRC Manager
The challenge was clear: Melior required a literacy intervention that would be accessible and effective for middle-ability students without feeling remedial or overly simplified.
The Solution: Implementing Lexonik Advance
After extensive research and consulting with other schools, Melior’s leadership team found a promising answer in Lexonik Advance. Lexonik’s reputation for quick, impactful results and engaging, well-structured sessions aligned with Melior’s requirements. With the flexibility to fit seamlessly into the school’s schedule, Lexonik Advance stood out as a viable solution to address their unique challenge.
“We wanted something that would deliver strong results quickly, yet still be engaging for students. Lexonik Advance’s six-week format and proven success in other schools gave us confidence.”
Melior’s staff were trained to deliver Lexonik Advance, initially focusing on Year 11 students who would benefit most immediately. The program’s success led to rapid expansion, with Lexonik Advance sessions extended to additional year groups.
The Results: Significant Reading Gains and Increased Confidence
The results have been impressive, with participating students showing an average reading age gain of 48 months. This progress has had a ripple effect across subjects, as students’ improved literacy skills translate into greater comprehension and confidence.
“The improvement in both knowledge and confidence is amazing. It’s incredibly rewarding to see students not only improve their reading but also their self-assurance.”
Positive feedback came not only from students but also from teachers, parents, and other staff who saw the benefits in the classroom. Encouraged by these results, Melior expanded the program further, incorporating Lexonik Leap to support struggling readers with foundational phonics and vocabulary skills.
Allison also notes the strong support provided by the Lexonik team throughout, with quick responses to questions and ongoing resources for staff.
“The Lexonik team has been fantastic. They’re always quick to respond and are so supportive, which has been invaluable.”
Conclusion
Reflecting on Melior’s experience, Allison encourages other schools to consider Lexonik for their own literacy needs.
“Invest in the program; you and your students will be amazed at the progress they make.”
For more information about Melior Community Academy, visit their website.
Trinity Academy St Edward's
It’s been quite a year for Trinity Academy St Edward’s. Not only is the school enjoying a fabulous new setting in Barnsley, South Yorkshire this Autumn term, but it’s also continuing to celebrate a ‘full house’ of ‘outstanding’ grades in its pre summer Ofsted report.
Nikki Waite is the school’s Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning. She invited us to catch up with her about how she’s found working with Lexonik.
What a way to start your academic year Nikki – a new free school in Barnsley, and on the back of some incredible Ofsted scores. It must be a great feeling?
Thank you. Yes, it’s been a terrific time for the school’s record, and I’m really excited for the student community as we head into this new academic year.
Tell us a little about the school itself, and its legacy on reading and literacy:
TASE is a brand new free school serving years 7 to 10.
Typically, the number of students who join us in Year 7, for whom their reading age does not match their chronological age, is growing.
At TASE, we put literacy at the heart of our pedagogy and all staff train students to read, speak and write like an expert in their subject disciplines.
Given the reading age issue, is that how you came to learn more about Lexonik and to seek out an intervention?
Actually, I’m fortunate to say that this is the third school into which I’ve introduced Lexonik!
I had heard about it from a colleague in a previous school and as an English teacher having had the training, she told me the intervention ‘changed the way [she] teaches’.
That fascinated me and I was incredibly curious to know more about it.
I’ve since recommended it to colleagues at Brinsworth, Astrea Netherwood Academy and Astrea Academy Dearne.
Wow. That’s terrific. It’s wonderful for us to hear that our programmes speak for themselves and that educators like you want to recommend us.
Interventions can be tricky to select if you’ve not tested them and haven’t anything to compare to, so I’m happy to tell people what I think about Lexonik.
What was it you were seeing at your latest school, which prompted you to bring an intervention into play?
The growing numbers of students entering Year 7 with low reading ages below 9:06 and having reading ages that do not equate to chronological reading ages.
This will undoubtedly be true this year with the current Year 7 having been taught phonics during the pandemic.
Having had the Lexonik training at a previous school, what was it which stuck with you and made you want to bring it to TASE too?
I knew the potential it had to close reading gaps for students. The results were – and are now – fantastic.
How did implementation take place?
Firstly, English teachers were trained in how to deliver Lexonik.
As a school, we do not have TAs so I was adamant that the staff delivering needed to be via trained English teachers as they are the experts in the building.
Once groups were up and running and we had our first set of results, I then delivered to whole staff on what the intervention is, who is selected and what is taught during this time.
From there, I provided strategies that they could use as part of our literacy toolkit in order to reinforce in lessons what is being delivered during the intervention.
What were the first impressions of the school community?
Positive. Our English teachers love delivering the intervention and staff were very impressed with the results, as were Ofsted.
I send postcards home for the students who have completed the intervention with their results on, and parents are always congratulatory and proud when they post about it on X.
Clearly there’s an expense attached to an intervention. Was cost a barrier or a concern to you?
No. It is worth every penny.
Logistics around when it would be delivered were slightly problematic at first as we are keen for students to not be removed from other areas of the curriculum to access the intervention.
However, we used our compulsory after school ‘Involve’ time to solve this issue.
How many staff did you train?
5
What results have you seen so far?
38 Months progress after six weeks’ intervention.
We have found this sometimes slips after finishing the intervention, which is why staff CPD is important so they can continue to utilise the strategies in lessons.
Can you share a little of what the Ofsted report states, please?
- Pupils make rapid progress through the curriculum. They develop a command of vocabulary that allows them to explain complex ideas. Pupils learn to speak, read and write like experts.
- Teachers have a relentless focus on developing pupils’ literacy and oracy. Pupils develop their confidence and ability to use new vocabulary through exercises such as ‘I say, you say’ and ‘say it loud and proud’.
- Pupils confidently explain complex ideas using specialist vocabulary. They develop knowledge and skills that belie their age.
- They have ensured that the curriculum develops extensive knowledge of new vocabulary.
Lexonik is certainly a part of enabling us to have this success.
How have you found the ongoing support of Lexonik?
Good.
I would like more information about what can be done with students who access Leap, go on to Advance, but are still weak readers and have reading ages that do not equate to chronological age.
What would you say to any school leader considering Lexonik?
Go for it. You will not regret it!
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