Meet First Read, the first programme from Growatrix

The reading lesson your whole class can’t wait for.

First Read turns one laptop and a projector into a joyful, teacher-led classroom. Children sing, guess, blend their very first words and read their first story, together. And it keeps working without internet.

Join the pilot

For Nursery 2 · Pilot runs 4 November – 18 December 2026 · More programmes on the way

Gori the squirrel, the guide in every lesson

A moment from Lesson 1: the class blends its first word.

First Read is just the beginning. Growatrix is growing a programme for every early-years and primary class.

    See the programmes

    Try it yourself

    Blend a word, just like the children do.

    Blending is the moment reading clicks. In First Read the letter tiles rise one sound at a time, then slide together into a word. Turn your sound on and have a go.

    1. 1 Pick a word.
    2. 2 Tap a tile to hear its sound.
    3. 3 Press Blend it and listen to the sounds become a word.

    Inside a First Read lesson

    Twenty minutes the class will talk about all day.

    Every lesson follows the same clear path, so children know what comes next and teachers never have to plan from scratch. These are real screens from Lessons 1 and 2.

    For teachers

    You lead. Growatrix does the heavy lifting.

    • Notes for every step — what to say, what to do and what to watch for.
    • You set the pace — pause, replay a sound, go back or start a step again at any moment.
    • One screen or two — the projector shows the woodland, your laptop shows your notes.
    • Faster blending — one tap when your class is flying.
    • Stop at any rest point — next time, Gori welcomes the class back where you left off.
    • A quick class check at the end shows what to practise next time.
    The teacher's screen: the lesson with teacher notes open beside it and the pacing buttons along the bottom
    The teacher’s screen, with notes open beside the lesson.

    Meet the friends

    Characters children will ask for by name.

    • Gori the squirrel, waving

      Gori

      A cheerful squirrel who guides every lesson, sings every song and celebrates every word the class reads.

    • Sam, a smiling boy in red and blue

      Sam

      Our everyday hero. Children read Sam’s adventures using only the sounds they have learned.

    • Pip, a playful puppy

      Pip

      Sam’s playful puppy, who turns up in the most surprising places, like inside a tin!

    Programmes

    First Read is just the beginning.

    Growatrix is building a family of programmes for early-years and primary classrooms, each with its own world and characters, all led by the teacher on one platform. First Read comes first, for Nursery 2. What schools tell us in the pilot shapes what comes next.

    Questions

    What schools ask us.

    Can’t see your question? Ask us when you join the pilot.

    What does a school need?

    A laptop, and a projector or TV the whole class can see. Speakers help every child hear Gori. Internet is only needed to log in and prepare the lessons.

    Do children need their own tablets?

    No. The teacher runs the lesson, and the children answer together, come up to tap the screen, sing, move and play in teams.

    How long is a lesson?

    About 20 to 25 minutes. Each lesson can also be split into shorter sittings, and the app remembers where you stopped.

    Which children is First Read for?

    Nursery 2, ages 4 to 5. Children learn their first sounds (s, a, t, m, i, p, n), blend them into words and read their first story.

    Do teachers need training?

    No special training. Every step has notes on what to say and what to do, and you can practise any lesson on your own before you teach it.

    Does it work without internet?

    Yes. Log in once while you are online and prepare your lessons. After that they run without internet, and updates arrive when you are next online.

    Is First Read the only programme?

    No. First Read is the first programme from Growatrix. We are building programmes for other class levels, and what we learn from schools in the pilot will shape them.

    When is the pilot?

    From 4 November to 18 December 2026, for Nursery 2 classes. The fuller release follows in January 2027.

    Join the pilot

    Bring First Read to your school.

    The pilot runs from 4 November to 18 December 2026 for Nursery 2 classes. Tell us about your school and we will be in touch to help you get set up. Pilot schools are also the first to hear about new Growatrix programmes.

    1. 1 Send us your details.
    2. 2 We call you to arrange setup.
    3. 3 Your class meets Gori.