Free literacy teaching resources

Browse reading activities and lesson ideas for a range of topics that will make teaching literacy and English more accessible and engaging for your students. See below for a selection of resources you can access for free.

Our resources are perfect for teachers and literacy practitioners in primary and secondary schools, and early years settings.

Discover highlights in the list below, or explore our full selection of resources.
To support families we also have a comprehensive web portal, grouped by age, with links to lots of free home-learning activities on Words for Life.

Free literacy resources for UK awareness days

Literacy teaching ideas, resources and reading activities spanning different ages and phases that align with key awareness and celebration dates in the planning calendar for schools and settings.

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Early years

Our early years resources and literacy activities will help schools, settings and parents support children’s development from birth to age 5 (EYFS).

This booklet is filled with simple activities for families with children aged 0 to 3 that can be completed at home, which will help families have fun, and encourage...
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A dynamic early years writing resource for practitioners, supporting you to enhance your provision.
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Guidance for supporting young children to build joyful experiences of books and stories alongside the skills they will need to develop to prepare them for reading.
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Primary and cross-phase resources

We have a wealth of free resources and lesson plans available to support literacy teaching in primary schools.

Join us on 22 January for a free, virtual event - perfect for children aged 5 to 7 years
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2 to 8 February 2026. Discover our resources and schedule of events this February to mark this year's National Storytelling Week.
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Join our FREE quiz at 9.30am on World Book Day, Thursday 5 March 2026.
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Secondary and cross-phase resources

Inspire and motivate pupils to support and improve literacy provision with English teachers resources and our secondary lesson ideas.

Tuesday 27 January: Join author Tom Palmer in conversation with Ruth Barnett as they discuss her escape from Berlin to England in 1939 and her life story that followed. Ages 11 to 14.
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Enrich your students’ learning with this fantastic STEM reading challenge as our We Wonder series returns.
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Wednesday 4 February: Join our free, online storytelling workshop to inspire your KS3/ S1-S3 pupils.
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Key Stage literacy and reading resources

See filtered lists of:

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) literacy resources (Early level/Progression Step 1)
Key Stage 1 (KS1) literacy resources (First level/Progression Step 2)
Key Stage 2 (KS2) literacy resources (Second level/Progression Step 2-3)
Key Stage 3 (KS3) literacy resources (Third/fourth level/Progression Step 4)
Key Stage 4 (KS4) literacy resources (Senior phase/Progression Step 5)

More support for improving literacy in schools and settings

We provide a range of evidence-based training, interventions, programmes and resources to support teachers and practitioners to enable children to move forward and develop their skills.

Evidence-based CPD and inspiring conferences to help you evaluate, plan and take action to improve literacy outcomes in your setting.
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Highly engaging and evaluated programmes to improve reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the UK's most disadvantaged communities.
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Evidence-based interventions for reading, writing and language development
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