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.

Explore the calendar

Teacher and pupil enjoy a picture book together in the classroom

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).

A booklet supporting families to look at books and share stories with their babies and children.
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A dynamic early years writing resource for practitioners, supporting you to enhance your provision.
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Supporting children’s first steps into writing through inspiring stories
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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.

Continue to nurture a love of literacy beyond the classroom with ideas that will keep the spark of reading and writing enjoyment alive during the summer holidays.
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Inspire writing for pleasure in your classroom with these writing prompts and games and find ways to tap into pupils' motivations for writing.
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Three simple, creative activities to help children enjoy reading, build confidence and support their wellbeing over the summer holidays.
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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.

Discover our resources for Go All In Together! Inside the Studio 2026.
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Build, borrow and create! Ideas to support and celebrate National Writing Day 2026.
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Join our free, online science-inspired classroom event for ages 11 to 14 in September.
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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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