Following promises by education secretary Nadhim Zahawi, the government have published a series of commitments on improving education, skills and support for families as part of its levelling up agenda.
We had originally been told that a specific White Paper on literacy would be published in the first quarter of 2022, but it seems the government has decided to combine proposals in what it is now calling “12 missions to level up the UK”. Mission 5 will be of particular interest to schools: a commitment to ensure 90 per cent of children reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of primary by 2030.
Considering that, in 2019, just 65 per cent of key stage 2 pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and math, you might be wondering how such an ambitious target might be achieved, especially as the government is not proposing any new money beyond what was announced in the spending review last year.
Clearly, more money is needed. The Institute for Fiscal Studies pointed out that education spending has actually fallen in recent years because of cuts to pupil premium and reduced funding to the most deprived schools through the national funding formula. Research by the National Foundation for Educational Research agrees with this analysis, calling for “significant and sustained investment” to enable children to “fully recover” from Covid-related disruption.
The Department for Education’s wider investment in the Catch-Up Premium, Early Careers Framework, new National Professional Qualifications, phonics and early years language resources should be recognised. But teachers and leaders know the impact disadvantage - in all its forms - has on literacy.
The links with poverty, special educational needs and disabilities, English as an additional language and so on need greater prioritisation than ever before, not least because it is these groups that have the lowest literacy rates of all.
The levelling up White Paper does acknowledge the considerable barriers faced by these pupils, but with pledges on further academisation, new specialist sixth forms and a UK national academy, the tools to truly level up seem rather thin.
The systemic barriers facing vulnerable young people are well known and yet the government has opted for another place-based approach to drive up standards; 55 Education Investment Areas are being supported with additional resources, building on existing opportunity areas.
In the Hastings Opportunity Area, I have seen for myself the impact additional funds and collaborative working have brought, but, despite a budget of tens of millions of pounds, it’s not clear whether such a localised solution is sufficient to address a national problem.
What needs to change?
So, what part can school leaders play in this new mission and where could funding make the most difference?
I believe the government should embrace a range of solutions that deliver:
- Investment in early years and staff to build on existing programmes of training. For literacy, this must include access to high-quality texts and materials for stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems.
- Ringfence funding for all schools (including early years foundation stage) that supports inclusion and improves the timely identification and support for children who may have additional requirements, especially where they struggle with language and literacy. This includes support for Sendcos.
- Encourage schools to embed rich literary knowledge from a range of experiences and cultural opportunities. All children and young people need to have access to the broadest English curriculum, embedding reading and writing for pleasure in their lives. This must be based on pupils’ starting points and include access to a range of texts in multiple formats and rich cultural experiences.
- Adapt the Early Career Framework and develop greater disciplinary approaches so that literacy is taught by every teacher in all subjects. This must go beyond phonics.
Taking enormous strides to overcome persistent difficulties, drive up achievement and ensure most pupils leave primary school with the literacy skills they need is a significant pledge. But tackling the wider systemic issues faced by all schools is where success truly lies.
Chris Rossiter is the chief executive of the Driver Youth Trust
