Ofsted has raised concerns over the teaching of writing and spoken language in primary and secondary schools in a subject report for English.
The inspectorate says that the teaching of reading has improved significantly since the introduction of the Year 1 phonics screening check, but warns that curricula for written and spoken language are less effective.
The inspectorate also found that schools are often unsure how to help pupils who arrive at secondary school unable to read and write fluently.
Here are eight key findings from Ofsted’s Telling the story: the English education subject report, which is based on research visits to 50 schools across England, with an equal number of visits to primaries and secondaries.
1. Teaching of reading ‘significantly improved’ - but some pupils falling behind
Ofsted says there have been “notable improvements to the reading curriculum since the introduction of the phonics screening check”. All the primary schools visited for the report used systematic synthetic phonics programmes to teach pupils to read.
The inspectorate adds that most primary leaders recognise phonics as the curriculum for teaching all pupils to read, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
The report also suggests that government policy and Ofsted’s focus on how well schools teach pupils to read has “helped leaders to understand the importance of teaching systematic synthetic phonics”.
Ofsted found differences between schools in how effectively phonics programmes are being taught in Reception and key stage 1. It says that, as a result, some pupils who struggle from the beginning fall further behind and are not helped to catch up quickly.
2. Primary schools can run out of time for reading
Ofsted also found that all primary schools were aiming to build a “culture of reading”, and says pupils benefit from a range of reading experiences.
However, the report adds that some schools do not make sure that all pupils have enough opportunities to hear texts being read aloud and to read often, with increasing independence.
The report says that primary school teachers do not always give story time priority beyond Reception and KS1, as they run out of time to fit it into a busy day.
3. Weaknesses in writing curriculum
The watchdog found that the writing curriculum often introduces complex tasks “too early before many pupils are equipped with the knowledge and skills that underpin these”.
It also says that primary pupils are not always given sufficient teaching and practice to gain “high degrees of fluency in spelling and handwriting early enough”.
It says that many schools are aware that some pupils struggle with writing and that Covid-19 restrictions “exacerbated these difficulties”.
However, the inspectorate warns that secondary school leaders often “consider this to be purely an issue with writing ‘resilience’ and ‘stamina’ - an issue with the child - rather than a curriculum weakness”.
The watchdog adds that this means schools typically do not provide enough explicit teaching or opportunities for pupils to practise the knowledge and skills that are not yet secure.
4. Schools unsure how to teach spoken language
Many schools are not always sure how to teach spoken language in a way that helps pupils understand how to confidently express themselves, the inspectorate says.
The report adds that few schools design or follow a curriculum to develop pupils’ spoken language.
“Schools are not always clear about how to teach the conventions of spoken language that enable pupils to speak competently in a range of contexts,” the report says.
“Teachers often attribute pupils’ weaknesses in speaking to a lack of confidence rather than realising that they have not been taught what they need to know about the topic under discussion to be able to form and articulate worthwhile contributions.”
5. Secondaries can be unsure how to help students catch up
Concerns are also raised that secondary schools are often unsure how to help students who arrive unable to read and write fluently.
Ofsted says that teachers do not always identify and teach the specific aspects of reading and writing that students find difficult. The report warns that, sometimes, students are given activities that mask the skills they need to improve and practice.
It adds: “For example, providing tasks that reduce the need to write does not help pupils to improve their handwriting. These pupils are often not making the rapid progress needed.”
Ofsted also found that, in KS2 and KS3, teachers’ weaker subject knowledge of early reading results in additional support for students being less effective.
6. Preparing for national assessments can distort the curriculum
In both primary and secondary schools, Ofsted found cases where preparation for national tests and exams had distorted the curriculum
It says that, at KS3, secondary schools often encourage excessive practice of a narrow range of writing structures to prepare students for GCSEs.
The inspectorate says that assessment “continues to distort the curriculum” in a few secondary schools, especially in writing, where it found “a focus on GCSE-style assessment tasks”.
In some primary schools, Ofsted says “the demands of moderation result in pupils being asked to produce overly manufactured portfolios of writing that may not reflect what they can do independently”.
7. Concern over basic spelling errors
The report also highlights a concern over spelling.
Inspectors found that, in some schools, leaders “systematically plan for spelling and punctuation to be taught and revisited while in others, spelling needs are left for teachers to determine and address”.
The Ofsted report adds: “It is not uncommon to see the same inaccuracies repeated in books, including the basics, such as capital letters and full stops.”
8. A need to connect reading, writing and spoken language
In primary schools, Ofsted found there was a disconnect between the different “modalities” of English - reading, writing and spoken language.
The report says teachers do not always take into account how a pupil’s prior knowledge of one modality affects their ability to learn another.
It gives an example that, in KS1, pupils’ knowledge of phonics is not always considered when they are asked to read or write in other English lessons - leading to tasks that are beyond pupils’ capabilities.
In KS2, Ofsted adds that teachers are often not trained in phonics. “This means that they are unable to use phonics strategies in KS2 English lessons to help pupils to embed their knowledge of word reading and transcription”.
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