Our History
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October 2002 to July 2003
It all starts when we pilot at St Thomas Aquinas, Bletchley – we get amazing results, so, it’s all systems go!
Image: The children at St Thomas Aquinas CPE saying the sounds precisely.
February 2003
Sounds-Write is officially born!
This was our first logo.
We run our first Sounds-Write training course in UK, in Wigan.
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January 2004
We run our very first Sounds-Write training course in Canberra, Australia.
2005
We train our first Sounds-Write trainers, including Derrie Clark, who’s still training after all these years!
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March 2009
John’s new year resolution to spread the message about the importance of phonics results in him starting the Literacy Blog.
2011
Sounds-Write becomes one of the approved phonics programmes by the Department for Education in the UK.
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2013
We train the first Australian trainers at DSF, Perth, WA, including Alison Perry and Lisa Watts.
2013
We celebrate 10 years of Sounds-Write!
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January 2017
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2019
St George’s PS in Battersea, London, becomes the first Sounds-Write Training School.
April 2019
We enjoy a trip to the DSF Language, Literacy and Learning Conference.
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September 2019
New book releases! Phonics games and activities for the Initial Code and Phonics games and activities for the Extended Code, Units 1-14.
December 2019
Piloted the Sounds-Write Y3-6 course at Floreat Wandsworth and Princecroft Primary School, UK.
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February 2020
We now have our first two Sounds-Write training schools in Australia!
Ballarat Clarendon College in Ballarat, and Camperdown College in Camperdown, both in Victoria.
March 2020
The world is now in lockdown, so we launch our Sounds-Write Practitioners Online training!
As we had to cancel our planned face-to- face Y3-6 course in Perth, WA, we decide to put this course online too.
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September 2021
Launched our first free decodable series, the First Steps Initial Code series.
2021
Sounds-Write is validated again by the UK Department for Education.
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May 2022
July 2022
Launched The Sounds-Write Podcast.
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2022
The Department of Education Western Australia endorses Sounds-Write as a high-quality structured synthetic phonics program.
2023
We celebrate Sounds-Write’s 20th birthday!
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2024
The Colorado Department of Education approves us as an evidence-based and scientifically provide phonics provider.
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
October 2002 to July 2003
It all starts when we pilot at St Thomas Aquinas, Bletchley – we get amazing results, so, it’s all systems go!
Image: The children at St Thomas Aquinas CPE saying the sounds precisely


February 2003
Sounds-Write is officially born!
This was our first logo.
We run our first Sounds-Write training course in UK, in Wigan


January 2004
We run our very first Sounds-Write training course in Australia, in Canberra.
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2005
We train our first Sounds-Write trainers, including Derrie Clark, who’s still training after all these years!
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March 2009
John’s new year resolution to spread the message about the importance of phonics results in him starting Literacy Blog.

2011
Sounds-Write becomes on of the approved phonics programmes by the Department for Education in the UK.
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2013
We train the first Australian trainers at DSF, Perth, WA, including Alison Perry and Lisa Watts.
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2013
10 Years of SW!
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January 2014
Released our iPad app.
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January 2017
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2019
St George’s PS in Battersea, London, becomes the first Sounds-Write Training School.
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April 2019
At the DSF conference: Language, Literacy and Learning Conference.
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September 2019
Released: Phonics games and activities for the Initial Code: Sounds-Write photocopiable activity book and Phonics games and activities for the Extended Code: Sounds-Write photocopiable activity book: Extended Code, Units 1-14, first spellings.
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December 2019
Piloted the Sounds-Write Y3-6 course at Floreat Wandsworth and Princecroft PS, UK.
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February 2020
We now have our first two Sounds-Write training schools in Australia!
Ballarat Clarendon College in Ballarat, and Camperdown College in Camperdown, both in Victoria.

March 2020
The world is now in lockdown, so we launch our Sounds-Write Practitioners Online training!
As we had to cancel our planned face-to- face Y3-6 course in Perth, WA, we decide to put this course online too.
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September 2021
Launched our first free series – First Steps IC series.
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2021
Sounds-Write is validated again by the UK Department for Education.
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May 2022
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July 2022
Launched The Sounds-Write Podcast.
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2022
The Department of Education Western Australia endorses Sounds-Write as a high-quality structured synthetic phonics program.