Ministers have published an updated reading framework for pupils up to the age of 14 and announced a review of how writing is being taught in schools, following this year’s Sats results.
It comes as official statistics published today showed that the proportion of key stage 2 pupils reaching the expected standard in all three areas of reading, writing and maths is unchanged from last year, showing no recovery towards pre-Covid levels.
The non-statutory reading framework guidance, which was first published by the Department for Education in 2021 and covered Reception and key stage 1, aimed to help schools “meet the expectations set out in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework and the national curriculum”.
Today’s updated guidance has been expanded to cover key stages 2 and 3.
The document is a collation of teachers’ experiences, classroom observations, assessments and research, as well as advice and other contributions from experts.
The government has also announced today that it will be launching a review of good practice in the teaching of writing to look at how best to improve attainment in writing.
Last month, primary multi-academy trust leaders, heads and education experts warned that the race to recover lost learning and development among younger pupils after the Covid pandemic is a “ticking time bomb”.
The new guidance set out in the updated reading framework document today states that secondary schools should “identify the pupils whose reading is poor and who, as a result, have negative attitudes towards school”.
“Every key stage 3 teacher must know who these pupils are and take action to support their reading during their lessons”, the document adds.
The guidance also acknowledges that a “loss of learning over the summer holidays might account for some pupils’ initial struggle in secondary school”.
And while “any dips rebound quickly if pupils are already strong readers”, it states that struggling readers “falter at the first secondary hurdle”.
The updates also include information for schools and the rest of the education sector in developing fluency, developing a reading for pleasure culture, national assessments and leadership and management of reading.
Overall this year, 59 per cent of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in all three areas of reading, writing and maths.
This year, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading attainment fell from 75 per cent in 2022 to 73 per cent.
The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in writing was 71 per cent - a rise of two percentage points from 2022 (69 per cent) but still far below the 2019 figure of 78 per cent.
