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As someone who teaches phonics, you might be anxious about the new 2019 Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF).

What might they ask me? Which areas will the inspections cover? How can I prepare?

Ofsted inspections can feel daunting, especially when everything feels like it's changing.

But there's no need to worry. In this blog, you'll learn what's changed with phonics and what Ofsted are looking for in 2020.

You'll also find out how best to prepare, so you can get ready for inspection and boost your confidence.

What's changed?

The 2019 EIF has seen lots of changes. The new tagline is 'A Face for Improvement.'

Before, inspectors would examine different categories. This included the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

But now, the Quality of Education category is much more focused on the "substance of education" rather than performance data.

The three I's included in this category are:

Inspectors won't grade these separately. They're just an aid to help them gather evidence when they're in your school.

Instead, schools will get an overall graded judgement. This will be based on the 'Quality of Education' category, as well as 'Behaviour and Attitudes', 'Personal Development', and 'Leadership and Management.'

So, what do these Ofsted changes mean for phonics?

In 2019, Ofsted made "how children are taught to read" a priority for inspections in schools.

Under the new EIF, all "infant, junior, primary and lower-middle schools" will undergo a reading 'deep dive.' This is mandatory and includes phonics!

You can find a full breakdown of the reading 'deep dive' in paragraph 296 of Ofsted's EIF. But to make things easier, below is a whistle-stop tour of everything you need to know when it comes to phonics.

Who will be involved in the reading 'deep dive'?

Headteachers, senior leaders, curriculum coordinators, teachers and pupils.

What does it involve?

Inspectors will gather evidence from:

Lesson visits

Conversations

Reviewing school policies and documents

Phonic assessments

Phonics screening check results

Listening to children read stage-related books and texts

They'll also carry out a 'deep dive' based on the three I's.
Intent
Inspectors will look at how your phonics programme outlines the knowledge, skills and understanding that children will develop.
Implementation
For this area, they'll review how successful your phonics programme is. They'll also explore assessment and how your school uses this to support learning.
Impact
What are the outcomes of these assessments? Here, inspectors will investigate pupil outcomes and review the impact of your school's phonics programme.

What will Ofsted inspectors look for in phonics?

Ofsted inspectors will make sure your school offers a systematic, synthetic approach to phonics.

They'll evaluate whether phonics is introduced in Reception and sets clear term-by-term expectations.

They'll also take a look at whether your curriculum matches - or even exceeds - the 2014 National Curriculum requirements and Early Learning Goals.

They'll assess the frequency and depth of ongoing phonics assessments.

Importantly, they'll also explore how your school adapts to provide additional support to students working below age-related expectations.

They'll analyse the reading books used by your school. Another thing to consider is that they'll look for reading books that link closely to your school's systematic phonics approach.

What about you and your team? The inspectors will explore the expertise of anyone who teaches phonics.

5 Top Tips for a Smooth Ofsted Phonics Inspection
1. Create a class phonics file
A great way to make sure everything is in one place and easy to find on the day.

Here, you can include your school's programme of study overview, up to date key documentation, evidence of assessment, termly expectations, tracking documents, any assessment data and year 1 phonics screening results.

As a little extra, you could also include a small action plan for how you're going to support learners who are working below age-related expectations.
2. Know your children
Data only tells you so much. You also need to talk about your class as well.

Understanding pupils' phonic level and reading skills will make it easier to have in-depth, successful conversations with inspectors.
3. Pre-prepare case studies
You don't always need physical case studies. But it's worth bearing some pupils and groups in mind.

An inspector could ask you to talk about the different learners in your class and those working at a certain level. So, if you have an example in mind, you'll be more prepared and relaxed to answer the question well.
4. Think about progress
Remember to think: has every child made progress? It's also important to make sure all children know the focus and objectives of your phonics lessons.
5. Read the full EIF
It's not the lightest read, but the full breakdown of the reading 'deep dive' is on page 296 of Ofsted's EIF.

Resources to Help You Get Ready
'Deep Dive' Phonics Self Review
Want to review and reflect on the quality of phonics in your school? Download this free self-evaluation document to help out.

It gives the perfect opportunity for team discussions and working out your school's strengths and weaknesses.

Ofsted 'Deep Dives': Staff Share
As a subject leader, are you prepared to answer 'Deep Dive' Questions? Take a look at this free resource.

'Deep Dive' into Phonics: Whole-School Progression Map and Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement
Use this progression map to track your pupil's progress in Twinkl's phonics programme.

It includes sections on intent, implementation and impact and a tracking document. This means you can deliver a systematic, synthetic programme for your class and school.

Twinkl Phonics Programme
Looking to develop your phonics programme? With Twinkl's phonics scheme, you can:

Deliver a systematic, synthetic approach

Cover the 2014 National Curriculum requirements and Early Learning Goals

Prepare children for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Test

The programme contains lesson packs with plans, lessons, follow-up activities and assessment materials for each phase. You'll also find display materials, teacher guides and support for parents.

The scheme can be used as a whole-school approach to take children from EYFS to year 2.

If you're preparing for an inspection or anxious about the 2019 Ofsted changes, everything is covered in great detail. So, you can talk to inspectors confidently, knowing that everything has been taken care of.

Phonics is such a vital part of children's education. From early phonics experiences, they'll develop the skills and knowledge to become great readers and writers.

It's important that your school's phonics curriculum makes children excited to learn and builds their confidence. Then, they'll be able to stand up, give it a go and succeed.
Explore Twinkl Phonics Here
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Don't Stop There!

Our blog is filled with tips, advice and expert guides.
Lesson Planning Tips Proven to Save You Time Strategies for Differentiation in the Classroom That Actually Work Retrieval Practice Ideas and Strategies William Shakespeare Facts for Kids Top 10 Outstanding Classroom Displays

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New Ofsted Framework 2019: What Does This Mean for Phonics? - Twinkl Blog

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As someone who teaches phonics, you might be anxious about the new 2019 Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF). What might they ask me? Which areas will the inspections cover? How can I prepare? Ofsted inspections can feel daunting, especially when everything feels like it's changing. But there's no need to worry.

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Example phonics lesson planners and templates

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Example phonics lesson planners and templates

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planning ssp phonics example planning - Bing

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Find high-quality images, photos, and animated GIFS with Bing Images

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We have been writing about how important it is for all children to be able to read for some time now. This blogpost focuses on pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who are not reading fluently.

Learning to read is essential for all pupils because it helps them to:

read for pleasure

study all subjects in the curriculum

be prepared for life.

That is why our education inspection framework (EIF) places a strong emphasis on how well all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are taught to read.

All pupils need the same knowledge of the alphabetic code to become independent readers and spellers

Extensive research shows how important teaching systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) is until children can decode automatically.

SSP represents a body of knowledge needed for word reading (and spelling). Without the knowledge they build through being taught SSP, pupils will struggle to read unfamiliar words.

This is true for all pupils who are learning to read, including those with SEND. Broadly speaking, it will only be those pupils with severe cognitive difficulties that cannot be taught the alphabetic code.

The curriculum remains the same but the pedagogy might be different

We know that sometimes, schools assume - mistakenly - that if pupils are struggling with reading, then phonics has not worked and pupils must need something different. But understanding the alphabetic code, that the letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words, is the basis of successful word reading. Study upon study show that children who have been diagnosed with developmental conditions learn to decode words by relying on the same processes as other readers.

A different curriculum, such as teaching pupils to read whole words by sight, may appear to offer short-term success but it will not provide a long-term strategy for decoding unfamiliar words.

Teaching sight words (where pupils need to memorise words without phonics) relies on an adult to tell the pupil every word. So it does not work when there is no adult present. Nor are pupils able to learn enough words by sight to access the curriculum effectively.

Teaching sight words alongside phonics is confusing to pupils because they are then unclear about which strategy to apply, often resorting to guessing.

Some pupils with SEND will probably need a lot more practice to secure important phonic knowledge. This does not mean phonics is not working. It just means we need to think really carefully about how best to help pupils secure this knowledge - what pedagogy we are using.

For example, it may be more helpful for pupils to be in a small group that is free from distractions. They may also benefit if teachers break the learning down into smaller steps, and repeat the steps more to increase overlearning.

Older pupils may need more age-appropriate resources.

Schools also need to make sure that pupils with SEND get high-quality teaching from the staff who are early reading experts.

Making reasonable adjustments to help pupils access the same phonics curriculum as their peers

Pupils with SEND may have a range of difficulties that affect how easily they are able to access the curriculum. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must make reasonable adjustments to enable pupils with SEND to have full access to the curriculum and to be able to participate in it. This includes making appropriate phonics instruction available for children with complex needs.

When leaders are thinking about how to help pupils with SEND access the same phonics curriculum as their peers, it's important that they assess the individual pupil's needs. Knowing each individual's learning needs then plays an important part in helping staff to choose the most effective pedagogy to secure the knowledge being taught. Assessment should identify the precise knowledge which pupils need in order to progress through the curriculum. Teaching can then target this knowledge precisely.

What effective schools do

Inspection evidence shows us that the most effective schools teach all pupils to read, despite disadvantage or special educational need. These schools know that pupils' understanding of the alphabetic code underpins successful reading and spelling. They make sure adults read to children, they teach SSP well and they give children time to practise and consolidate their growing knowledge.

More information

Sign up to our webinar on 'Secondary pupils who need to catch up with reading', which is taking place on 22 March, 4:30 to 5:30 pm: https://bit.ly/OfstedWebinars. (You can sign up to as many of the webinars as you like.)

You can also read the reports and blogs below

English research review Research review series: English - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The general principles from this research are applicable to pupils with SEND. There is also a short section on pedagogical considerations for pupils with SEND.

The DfE's reading framework includes a section which relates to good practice for pupils with moderate to severe SEND and complex needs.
The reading framework - teaching the foundations of literacy (publishing.service.gov.uk)
'Supporting secondary school pupils who are behind with reading': https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2022/04/28/supporting-secondary-school-pupils-who-are-behind-with-reading/

'Thousands of year 7s struggle with reading': https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2022/09/05/thousands-of-year-7s-struggle-with-reading/

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Lee Owston, Deputy Director, Schools and Education

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who have fallen behind with reading

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This blogpost focuses on pupils with SEND who are not reading fluently.

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Phase 5  'wh' digraph. Lots of question words... what, when, why and who?                                     The teacher directly teaches the 'wh' digraph and then adds context to the type of words you may find that digraph in. 

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Phase 5  'wh' digraph. Lots of question words... what, when, why and who?                                     The teacher directly teaches the 'wh' digraph and then adds context to the type of words you may find that digraph in. 

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A useful assessment document to measure nursery children pre-school with oral blending and segmenting (sometimes called robot arms/sounds), onomatopoeic words and phonemic awareness.

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What is Reading? The Simple View - Bing video

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Important to note that SSP does not support comprehension skills and we need to find other ways and places in the classroom to support this key reading skill.

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Phonics approaches aim to quickly develop pupils' word recognition and spelling through developing pupils' ability to hear, identify and manipulate phonemes (the smallest unit of spoken language), and to teach them the relationship between phonemes and the graphemes (written letters or combinations of letters) that represent them. Successfully implementing a phonics might involve:

Using a systematic approach that explicitly teaches pupils a comprehensive set of letter-sound relationships through an organised sequence

Training staff to ensure they have the necessary linguistic knowledge and understanding

Carefully monitoring progress to ensure that phonics programmes are responsive and provide extra support where necessary

Carefully consider any adaptions to systematic programmes that might reduce impact

Good implementation of phonics programmes will also consider pupils wider reading skills and will identify where pupils are struggling with aspects of reading other than decoding that might be targeted through other approaches such as the explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies.

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Phonics is an approach that develops pupils' knowledge of the relationship between written symbols and sounds.

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The phonics teaching programme validation process

By ensuring high-quality phonics teaching and improving literacy levels, the government wants to:

give all children a solid base on which to build as they progress through school

help them develop the habit of reading both widely and often, for both pleasure and information

In April 2021, we published the revised core criteria for effective systematic synthetic phonics teaching programmes ( SSP) and launched a new process to validate those programmes. The process applied to both previously assessed programmes and new applicants.

A number of publishers completed an initial self-assessment based on these criteria, which was then reviewed by independent evaluators. After 3 rounds of evaluation, 45 SSP programmes were validated.

We are not planning an imminent future validation round, but any update will be provided on this page. Although the process has now been completed, the information provided for 2021 to 2022, including the criteria used and the guidance supplied, remains available.

A Flying Start with Letters and Sounds

ACET Phonics

All Aboard Phonics

ALS Phonics: Letters and Sounds

Anima Phonics: Letters and Sounds Updated

Bug Club Phonics

Dramatic Progress in Literacy Phonics (DPiL)

Essential Letters and Sounds

Extend Letters and Sounds

FFT Success for All Phonics

First Class Phonics

Fishing for Phonics

Floppy's Phonics

GES Simply Letters & Sounds

Jolly Phonics

Junior Learning Letters & Sounds

LearnPhonics!

Lesley Clarke's Letters and Sounds

Letterland

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised

McKie Mastery Power Phonics

Monster Phonics

No Nonsense Phonics

Pearl Phonics

Phonics International

Phonics Shed

Phonics Steps

Pip and Pap

Read Write Inc.

Reading Planet Rocket Phonics

Ready Steady Phonics

RoboPhonics

Schofield & Sims My Letters & Sounds

Smart Kids Letters and Sounds - The Code

Snappy Sounds

Song of Sounds

Sound Discovery

Sound!Start Phonics for Letters and Sounds

Sounds-Write

Supersonic Phonic Friends

The Partnership Phonics Programme (based on Letters and Sounds)

Time for Phonics

Twinkl Phonics

Unlocking Letters and Sounds

Wand Phonics with Phonics International and/or No Nonsense Phonics

The contact details and web addresses for currently validated programmes are available and regularly updated.

Information for schools

There is no statutory requirement for schools to choose one of the SSP programmes on the validated list. Ofsted does not have a preferred programme or approach. What's important is that schools take an approach that is rigorous, systematic and used with fidelity (any resources used should exactly match the Grapheme Phoneme Correspondence (GPC) progression of their chosen SSP approach), and that achieves strong results for all pupils, including the most disadvantaged. You can refer to this blog for more information.

However, validation status indicates that a programme has been self-assessed by its publisher and judged by a small panel with relevant expertise, and that both consider it to meet all the Department for Education (DfE) criteria for an effective SSP programme.

A complete SSP programme is one that provides:

all that's essential to teach SSP to children in the reception and key stage 1 years of mainstream primary schools

sufficient support for children in reception and key stage 1 to become fluent readers

a structured route for most children to meet or exceed the expected standard in the year one phonics screening check

all national curriculum expectations for word reading through decoding by the end of key stage 1

For more guidance on choosing an SSP programme that's best for your school, contact your local English hub. It can offer guidance on the details of each validated programme to help with your decision.

If you are or are about to become a partner school that's supported by one of our English hubs, contact the hub to discuss which SSP programme to use in your school. The hubs programme will only support schools to implement a programme from the updated validated list.

Support for schools

As well as providing an updated list of validated programmes, we have launched a package of measures designed to support schools in providing excellent reading provision and developing pupils' proficiency in, and love of, reading.

The package includes:

guidance for schools on early reading: the reading framework: teaching the foundations of literacy

£8.7 million additional funding in academic year 2022 to 2023 to support schools to purchase and embed complete SSP programmes from the validated list, including their associated training and resources

a new national professional qualification for leading literacy (NPQLL), launched in October 2022, to train teachers and leaders to become literacy experts who will drive up standards of literacy teaching in their schools and improve literacy outcomes for every child

Schools that are interested in purchasing a validated programme can contact their local English hub to see what support they're eligible for.

Previous SSP programme validation routes

Between 2010 and 2014, we compiled a collection of phonics teaching programmes to help schools decide which was suitable for their school. We reviewed each programme against core criteria for effective SSP programmes.

Publishers could apply to have their programme featured through either:

a self-assessment process

submitting a tender to feature in the Importance of Phonics catalogue

Until this new validation process launched in April 2021, neither the list of self-assessed programmes nor the Importance of Phonics catalogue list of programmes had been updated or reviewed since 2014.

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By ensuring high-quality phonics teaching and improving literacy levels, the government wants to: give all children a solid base on which to build as they progress through school help them develop the habit of reading both widely and often, for both pleasure and information In April 2021, we published the revised core criteria for effective systematic synthetic phonics teaching programmes ( SSP) and launched a new process to validate those programmes.

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Floppy Phonics online - Oxford Owl Resources 

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Floppy Phonics online - Oxford Owl Resources 

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Phonics approaches aim to quickly develop pupils' word recognition and spelling through developing pupils' ability to hear, identify and manipulate phonemes (the smallest unit of spoken language), and to teach them the relationship between phonemes and the graphemes (written letters or combinations of letters) that represent them. Successfully implementing a phonics might involve:

Using a systematic approach that explicitly teaches pupils a comprehensive set of letter-sound relationships through an organised sequence

Training staff to ensure they have the necessary linguistic knowledge and understanding

Carefully monitoring progress to ensure that phonics programmes are responsive and provide extra support where necessary

Carefully consider any adaptions to systematic programmes that might reduce impact

Good implementation of phonics programmes will also consider pupils wider reading skills and will identify where pupils are struggling with aspects of reading other than decoding that might be targeted through other approaches such as the explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies.

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Phonics is an approach that develops pupils' knowledge of the relationship between written symbols and sounds.

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Why does Monster Phonics improve learning?

Monster Phonics is a highly-engaging, structured, synthetic phonics programme. It accelerates learning by allowing children to learn new graphemes by using monsters to group graphemes for recall and to provide an easy and fun memory cue for children. It also uses colour-coding to highlight the grapheme when teaching a new grapheme. Once taught and secure, the colour is removed. Multisensory focused teaching improves learning. Children love Monster Phonics. The high engagement and interest created by the programme further supports learning.

Can I try Monster Phonics with my class?

Yes, you can. We recommend all the teachers to sign up for the 15 days free trial to access the planning and resources without any commitments.

Is Monster Phonics schools used internationally?

Yes, Monster Phonics is used in international schools across the world. Our scheme supports international learners more than others because it teaches pronunciation alongside spelling. It also uses pictorial cues which are recognised cross-culturally. Our eBooks and training are online and we deliver all resources internationally. We are happy to connect you with other schools overseas who are using the programme.

Has your scheme been validated by the Department for Education?

Yes, Monster Phonics is listed as a DfE validated programme.

Does this programme follow the National Curriculum?

Yes, lesson plans and resources are available for every grapheme and spelling rule taught in Reception and the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum.

Does your scheme follow the same order as Letters and Sounds?

The graphemes are taught in the same order as letters and sounds in Reception. This order of teaching maximises opportunities for children to read and write words right from the start when learning phonics. The High Frequency Words and Common Exception Words follow a slightly different order so that they meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and to ensure that children have learnt all the first 100 HFWs and the next 200 HFWs by the end of Y2

What does the membership package consist of?

Your Monster Phonics membership will give all your teaching staff access to the planning, daily lessons, assessments, and intervention resources covering Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 phonics teaching.

Can my school start Monster Phonics at any point during the academic year?

Yes, Monster Phonics is easy to introduce at any point in the school year. View our Teaching Manual to see the Monster Phonics Progression Map. This shows the order of teaching and where to start in the Monster Phonics programme. The consistent planning makes it easy to implement improving results straight away.

Is Monster Phonics suitable for SEN schools?

Yes, Monster Phonics is suitable for SEN schools and SEN units within mainstream schools. Our innovative and highly advanced multisensory approach supports SEN children learning phonics in a memorable, fun and engage way.

Is Monster Phonics suitable for EAL children and international schools?

Yes, Monster Phonics is suitable for children who speak English is a second language. Our unique approach helps children to learn to read and write words containing the difficult long vowels, silent letters and tricky words that frequently cause problems for children learning to read and write in English. It also provides more support with pronunciation. This is particularly beneficial for EAL learners

What reading scheme can we use with the programme?

We have our own reading scheme which consists of 130 decodable books which are aligned to the Monster Phonics Programme.

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DfE Validated Phonics Scheme And Ofsted-Ready

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Monster Phonics is a DfE validated phonics scheme that improves progress. Child-centred learning rapidly improves results. Free Trail Available.

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Animaphonics - Letters and Sounds Updated

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Animaphonics - Letters and Sounds Updated

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Join us on Zoom for a 30 minute briefing, presented by the co-creator of Anima Phonics.

We'll explore the website, lessons and resources, so you can see how the programme builds from Nursery to Year 2.

Following the showcase, we'll stay online to answer any questions you might have.

Please note: you must use an official school email address to book your place. Other email addresses, such as @gmail or @hotmail, will not be permitted to attend.

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Proven Phonics Resources for Teachers & Parents | Anima Phonics

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Join us on Zoom for a 30 minute briefing, presented by the co-creator of Anima Phonics. We'll explore the website, lessons and resources, so you can see how the programme builds from Nursery to Year 2. Following the showcase, we'll stay online to answer any questions you might have.

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What is the Power of Reading?
The Power of Reading is CLPE's proven professional development programme that supports your primary school to evolve a high quality literacy curriculum which develops reading comprehension and writing composition, and fosters a whole school love of reading and writing.

The Power of Reading puts quality children's literature at the heart of literacy learning and is built on years of research and best practice. The programme develops teacher subject knowledge and supports your school to raise engagement and attainment in language, vocabulary, reading and writing and meet all the requirements of the National Curriculum. It includes in-depth training and has excellent teaching resources at its heart which can be accessed through a CLPE School Membership.

Power of Reading Training
This four day programme shows teachers how to build a book-based curriculum by putting children's literature at the heart of their primary English curriculum. The programme develops teachers' subject knowledge and understanding of proven pedagogical approaches.

The Power of Reading is a long standing programme which was first developed in 2005. It has a rich evidence base and has raised achievement in more than 5000 schools. 98% of teachers saw improved engagement in children's reading and 97% saw an improvement in children's writing. Children who are part of the programme make an additional six months progress compared to their peers. (The full report from Leeds Trinity University is available from Supporting Materials at the end of this page.)

View the Power of Reading Impact Report 2023 in our Supporting Materials at the end of this page.

We deliver the commission the programme for your area. To find out more please email: Power of Reading Training at our Centre in London or as an online programme. We also have a specific Early Years programme. It is also possible to por@clpe.org.uk.
View face to face course details and dates View online course details and dates You can access FREE examples of Power of Reading teaching sequences in the Supporting Materials section at the bottom of the page. "We have loved being part of this learning this year and it has been one of the best training courses that I have ever been on. We will never move away from Power of Reading, it has been transformational in our school, for staff and the pupils." "The CPD is fantastic and has really got me thinking about my department and the curriculum in a way I haven't thought of in the past. It's a real help. Thank you." This is my first year using CLPE planning and I have to say that I feel that my English teaching has greatly improved. I am more enthusiastic in my teaching, my pupils have become more engaged, and there is far more speaking, listening, vocabulary, drama, role-play, art and writing woven throughout my teaching. CLPE School Membership - Power of Reading Teaching Sequences Joanna Shobbrook, Year 5/6 Teacher, St Michael's Primary School. PoR Online attendee 2021 Carrie Hyland, Assistant Headteacher, Northwood Community Primary Find out more about CLPE School Membership
CLPE School Membership gives your whole school access to detailed literacy planning for a wide range of high-quality children's books, examples of curriculum maps to show how to plan a text based curriculum and accompanying home learning resources. These combined resources provide ideas, inspiration and structure for your literacy curriculum, raising literacy standards and developing a love of reading and writing. Each year our expert teaching team add new plans and regularly update current planning to match statutory requirements giving your whole school a growing resource at an affordable cost.

Schools who book on our face to face Power of Reading Programmes receive a CLPE School Membership as part of the training package.

See some free examples of our Power of Reading Teaching Sequences in our Supporting Materials

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The Power of Reading | Centre for Literacy in Primary Education

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Power of Reading: The complete book-based approach to improving literacy standards in your school. What is the Power of Reading? The Power of Reading is ...

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CLPE - Recommended books in a rich reading curriculum 

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CLPE - Recommended books in a rich reading curriculum 

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The principles underpinning the teaching of phonics - the Reading Framework 2023 

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The principles underpinning the teaching of phonics - the Reading Framework 2023 

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What are the key aims and principles explained in this document?

How can this be translated into the classroom?

What does this mean for pupils with SEND?

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this report is part of a series of four guidance reports that the eef has produced on the theme of language and literacy. it focuses on pupils between the ages of 5 and 7 in key stage 1. however

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it may also be applicable to older pupils who have fallen behind their peers

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or younger pupils who are making rapid progress. separate reports cover recommendations for effective approaches for improving literacy in key stage 2 (ages 7-11 years)

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supporting language and literacy development in the early years (ages 3-5 years)

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and improving literacy in secondary schools.  this second edition presents the same recommendations as the first

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explanations and resources to provide direct paths of action from the evidence-based guidance to classroom practice. the recommendations represent 'lever points' where there is useful evidence about language and literacy teaching that schools can use to make a significant difference to pupils' learning.

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Eight recommendations to support the literacy of 5-7 year-olds

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Enunciation of phonemes and recognition of GPC's (grapheme phoneme correspondence). 

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Enunciation of phonemes and recognition of GPC's (grapheme phoneme correspondence). 

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Phonics: How to pronounce pure sounds | Oxford Owl

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The books chosen for the Power of Pictures are high quality picturebooks that support the development of sophisticated reading skills, enabling children to develop deeper levels of comprehension and to learn about narrative structure and character development in an accessible way, shaping children's knowledge about how to craft writing using text and illustration.

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Teacher modelling and explicit teaching of tricky words. 

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Teacher modelling and explicit teaching of tricky words. 

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What resources does the teacher use?

Bingo cards, magnetic letters, examples of tricky words prepared, a puppet.

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Phase 4 Tricky Words Song Sight Words Song for said, have, like, come, some, what...

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In this blog, we explore the challenges of getting primary pupils back on track with reading. We look at:

some useful principles for making sure that all pupils catch up quickly

the term fidelity and how it can be most helpfully applied

how we evaluate reading on inspection

examples of how school leaders have helped pupils to catch up with reading in differing circumstances

Getting pupils back on track

On inspection, we've seen the difficulties that teachers are facing as they try to get all pupils back on track with reading.

Teachers tell us they are noticing that more pupils are further behind with reading. The wider the range of starting points, in any one class, also adds to the challenge.

Guiding principles for ensuring that pupils who have fallen behind in reading are able to catch up quickly

The early reading evaluation criteria in our school inspection handbook helps us identify what successful schools are doing to support lower attaining pupils.

We have drawn up 5 guiding principles:

1. If pupils are not able to read well, they will not be able to access the full curriculum

2. Rigorous 'keep-up' reduces 'catch-up' later

3. Catch-up is essential for pupils who have fallen behind

4. There are no short cuts when following the sequence of a phonics programme

5. The curriculum is the same for all pupils, including those who need to catch up

You can read more about the principles below or by clicking on each title in the above list. Below the principles, you will also find information on:

Principle 1: If pupils are not able to read well, they will not be able to access the full curriculum

Reading is the gateway to learning. Pupils who struggle with the basic mechanics can quickly fall behind.

Being able to read accurately by age 6 has a strong correlation with future academic success. So, getting phonics teaching right is essential. That's why our education inspection framework (EIF) places a strong emphasis on how well schools teach all pupils to read.

In September 2022, we added an evaluation criteria (paragraph 241) to our school inspection handbook. It reflects the importance of reading and emphasises that support should be given to all pupils.

Principle 2: Rigorous 'keep-up' reduces 'catch-up' later

If schools make sure that all pupils keep up with phonics from Reception and Year 1, only new arrivals may need to catch up.

The Department for Education (DfE)'s reading framework says:
'Teachers should aim for all children to keep up with the school's chosen phonics programme, ensuring teaching time is sufficient for the content to be taught within the timescales the programme sets out. Some children need extra support from the beginning.'
Successful schools are rigorous in making this possible. They do it in different ways including:

providing targeted help for identified pupils from an extra adult during the phonics lesson

organising pupils into groups for phonics lessons according to the grapheme-phoneme correspondences they know

regularly reassessing pupils so they are in a group where they can make the best progress

providing extra practice, in addition to phonics lessons, for children who need the most support

A few pupils (including some with SEND) may not be able to keep up and need to take smaller steps. This can help them make progress every day. Ongoing assessment should enable teachers to address this urgently.

Principle 3: Catch-up is essential for pupils who have fallen behind

Successful schools have a carefully thought-out catch-up plan for new pupils or for those who have fallen behind due to loss of schooling.

Making the best use of time in every phonics lesson, as well as finding sufficient time for extra teaching and practice, is crucial. This means that:

leaders will need to think carefully about staffing, pupil grouping and timetabling

pupils may need to miss other lessons while they catch up

We often see pupils with insufficient knowledge being expected to attempt the same learning as their peers. Struggling to access the lesson wastes precious time and can threaten their self-confidence. Pupils who need more teaching and practice opportunities than their peers end up with less.

Successful schools use assessment to identify precise gaps in a pupil's phonic knowledge. Extra daily teaching, as well as help during the phonics lesson itself, focuses on these gaps.

Other features of successful schools include:

carefully considering group size - some pupils are taught individually or in small groups with peers who have similar starting points

being aware of the speed of progress - some pupils, including some who have SEND, take longer to learn and benefit from smaller incremental steps

all staff teaching 'catch-up' are well trained in the school's phonic programme

pupils benefit from being taught in a space free from distractions

Principle 4: There are no short cuts when following the sequence of a phonics programme

Successful leaders choose a phonics programme that can achieve consistency across the school. Fidelity to the sequence of the school's phonics programme is essential. Each programme introduces grapheme-phoneme correspondences and common exception words in a specific order. Following the sequence builds effectively and cumulatively on what has been taught before. It's not possible to take short cuts.

While fidelity to the sequence is vital, not all schools, or classes within a school, can make the same choices about how to organise teaching. Organising teaching will depend on a range of factors. It will be affected by whether all pupils have kept up, pupils' starting points, and the priority given to phonics teaching and extra catch-up sessions.

Principle 5: The curriculum is the same for all pupils, including those who need to catch up

Some pupils have been left behind without sufficient teaching and practice. This does not mean that phonics does not work or that other strategies should be used. Phonics is the only way to accurately read an unfamiliar word. All pupils who struggle to read should be taught to do this. Pupils who have fallen behind need to be taught the phonic knowledge for the stage they are at. All pupils are on the same curriculum journey but at different stages (See principle 3.)

Fidelity to a phonics programme

Leaders on inspection often raise the issue of fidelity to a phonics programme. Some tell us it's difficult to balance this fidelity with making sure that pupils who need teaching at an earlier stage get it so that they can catch up quickly.

When leaders buy a scheme, it's usually because they want consistency across the school and a curriculum designed by experts. It is understandable that they want to follow the programme with fidelity.

As we explored in principle 4, fidelity is important. The programme has been carefully sequenced to build on what has been taught before. It should be followed as intended - as long as pupils are keeping up. If pupils have different starting points, they will need to be taught the content from an earlier stage.

Evaluating how well pupils are taught to read

When we evaluate reading on inspection, we are interested to find out if the school's curriculum is doing the job that leaders want it to. We use the early reading evaluation criteria in our school inspection handbook to find out how effectively the curriculum is being implemented and how well all pupils are learning to read. We pay particular attention to what the school is doing to help the lowest attaining pupils to catch up.

We don't directly inspect fidelity to a phonics programme or the phonics programmes themselves. We do not have a preference about which phonics programme a school chooses. The DfE has a list of suitable programmes which have been validated but following one of these is not mandatory. What is important is that schools teach all pupils to read fluently.

Principles into practice - examples from schools with different circumstances

Here are some good examples of how schools working in different contexts have made decisions so that pupils can catch up quickly.

School 1 - In this two-form entry primary school, the same phonics content is taught to the whole class at the same time. Teachers spot those who need extra help straight away and provide that support during the lesson. Some pupils who need even more practice also have a daily session to consolidate what they've been taught. It's the same content as the whole class session but may be broken down into smaller steps.

If new pupils are behind, they receive additional teaching at their stage from a teaching assistant with phonics expertise. The groups may include pupils from different classes and year groups. This takes place during phonics lesson time and in an additional sessions until pupils can join the whole class.

School 2 - In this two-form entry infant school, pupils throughout the school are organised in groups according to the stage they are at with phonics. Most pupils keep up with the expected pace of the programme. Groups sometimes include pupils from more than one year group who are at the same stage. Pupils who have fallen behind also receive daily catch-up teaching.

School 3 - In this small primary school with only two classes, leaders had to plan carefully because pupils in the same class have very different starting points. Pupils are grouped together by phonic stage rather than age. The teacher provides phonics teaching for each group separately while others are working independently to practise using knowledge they have learned previously. Pupils who are behind also receive additional practice each day.

School 4 - In this one-form entry primary school, phonics teaching is organised differently in some year groups than others. In Reception, the teacher delivers the same content to the whole class at once. The teacher and teaching assistant use ongoing assessment to spot children who need extra help during the lesson. They have also identified a group of children who regularly need a bit more time. These children are taken out of class each afternoon for a short 'keep-up' session.

Leaders have made this a priority and they select support staff from across the school who have the greatest phonics expertise to provide this teaching.

In Year 1, there are several new pupils who are at a much earlier stage. They cannot yet access the same content and so the teacher groups them together. The group carries out consolidation tasks while the others receive their daily phonics teaching. Then the teacher swaps over and teaches this group while the rest are practising what they have been taught. The small group also have another daily session of phonics.

There are a few pupils in Years 3 and 4 who are not reading accurately and automatically. New leaders have already put systems in place to make sure that all future pupils keep up. They have also made sure that phonics teaching continues for these pupils into key stage 2. This group of pupils are taught phonics during the second half of each English lesson by a teaching assistant with phonics expertise. The group takes part in the first part of each English lesson, which makes sure they hear age-appropriate books being read and benefit from the discussion to support their language comprehension.

These examples demonstrate that there is no single way to organise the teaching of phonics effectively. What matters most is that any pupils who fall behind are able to catch up quickly. Applying the principles for helping pupils to catch up quickly, alongside consideration of the context, increases the likelihood of all pupils learning to read well as soon as they should.

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Lee Owston, Deputy Director, Schools and Education

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In this blog, we explore the challenges of getting primary pupils back on track with reading. We look at: some useful principles for making sure that all pupils catch up quickly the term fidelity and how it can be most ...

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We have been writing about how important it is for all children to be able to read for some time now. This blogpost focuses on pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who are not reading fluently.

Learning to read is essential for all pupils because it helps them to:

read for pleasure

study all subjects in the curriculum

be prepared for life.

That is why our education inspection framework (EIF) places a strong emphasis on how well all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are taught to read.

All pupils need the same knowledge of the alphabetic code to become independent readers and spellers

Extensive research shows how important teaching systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) is until children can decode automatically.

SSP represents a body of knowledge needed for word reading (and spelling). Without the knowledge they build through being taught SSP, pupils will struggle to read unfamiliar words.

This is true for all pupils who are learning to read, including those with SEND. Broadly speaking, it will only be those pupils with severe cognitive difficulties that cannot be taught the alphabetic code.

The curriculum remains the same but the pedagogy might be different

We know that sometimes, schools assume - mistakenly - that if pupils are struggling with reading, then phonics has not worked and pupils must need something different. But understanding the alphabetic code, that the letters on the page represent the sounds in spoken words, is the basis of successful word reading. Study upon study show that children who have been diagnosed with developmental conditions learn to decode words by relying on the same processes as other readers.

A different curriculum, such as teaching pupils to read whole words by sight, may appear to offer short-term success but it will not provide a long-term strategy for decoding unfamiliar words.

Teaching sight words (where pupils need to memorise words without phonics) relies on an adult to tell the pupil every word. So it does not work when there is no adult present. Nor are pupils able to learn enough words by sight to access the curriculum effectively.

Teaching sight words alongside phonics is confusing to pupils because they are then unclear about which strategy to apply, often resorting to guessing.

Some pupils with SEND will probably need a lot more practice to secure important phonic knowledge. This does not mean phonics is not working. It just means we need to think really carefully about how best to help pupils secure this knowledge - what pedagogy we are using.

For example, it may be more helpful for pupils to be in a small group that is free from distractions. They may also benefit if teachers break the learning down into smaller steps, and repeat the steps more to increase overlearning.

Older pupils may need more age-appropriate resources.

Schools also need to make sure that pupils with SEND get high-quality teaching from the staff who are early reading experts.

Making reasonable adjustments to help pupils access the same phonics curriculum as their peers

Pupils with SEND may have a range of difficulties that affect how easily they are able to access the curriculum. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must make reasonable adjustments to enable pupils with SEND to have full access to the curriculum and to be able to participate in it. This includes making appropriate phonics instruction available for children with complex needs.

When leaders are thinking about how to help pupils with SEND access the same phonics curriculum as their peers, it's important that they assess the individual pupil's needs. Knowing each individual's learning needs then plays an important part in helping staff to choose the most effective pedagogy to secure the knowledge being taught. Assessment should identify the precise knowledge which pupils need in order to progress through the curriculum. Teaching can then target this knowledge precisely.

What effective schools do

Inspection evidence shows us that the most effective schools teach all pupils to read, despite disadvantage or special educational need. These schools know that pupils' understanding of the alphabetic code underpins successful reading and spelling. They make sure adults read to children, they teach SSP well and they give children time to practise and consolidate their growing knowledge.

More information

Sign up to our webinar on 'Secondary pupils who need to catch up with reading', which is taking place on 22 March, 4:30 to 5:30 pm: https://bit.ly/OfstedWebinars. (You can sign up to as many of the webinars as you like.)

You can also read the reports and blogs below

English research review Research review series: English - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The general principles from this research are applicable to pupils with SEND. There is also a short section on pedagogical considerations for pupils with SEND.

The DfE's reading framework includes a section which relates to good practice for pupils with moderate to severe SEND and complex needs.
The reading framework - teaching the foundations of literacy (publishing.service.gov.uk)
'Supporting secondary school pupils who are behind with reading': https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2022/04/28/supporting-secondary-school-pupils-who-are-behind-with-reading/

'Thousands of year 7s struggle with reading': https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2022/09/05/thousands-of-year-7s-struggle-with-reading/

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Lee Owston, Deputy Director, Schools and Education

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who have fallen behind with reading

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This blogpost focuses on pupils with SEND who are not reading fluently.

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Gov.UK Everything you need to know about phonics 

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Gov.UK Everything you need to know about phonics 

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Phonics is an effective way of teaching children to read. By ensuring high quality phonics teaching, we want to improve literacy levels and give all children a solid base to build on as they progress through school.

According to our latest phonics screening check - which we explain more about below - children are progressing too. New DfE statistics show that 79% of five- and six-year-olds met the expected standard, up from 75% last year.

What is phonics?

Through phonics children are taught how to:

recognise the sounds that each individual letter makes

identify the sounds that different combinations of letters make - such as 'sh' or 'oo'; and

blend these sounds together from left to right to make a word. Children can then use this knowledge to 'decode' new words that they hear or see. This is the first important step in learning to read.

Why is phonics important?

Once pupils can decode using phonics, they are able to focus on their wider reading skills and develop a love of reading.

Research shows that when phonics is taught in a structured way - starting with the easiest sounds and progressing through to the most complex - it is the most effective way of teaching young children to read.

Phonics is a highly effective method of teaching word reading. Almost all children who receive high-quality phonics teaching will learn the skills they need to tackle new words.

They can then go on to read any kind of text fluently and confidently, and to read for enjoyment.

Children who have been taught phonics also tend to read more accurately than those taught using other methods, such as 'look and say'. This includes children who find learning to read difficult, for example those who have dyslexia.

What is the phonics screening check?

By the end of year 1 most children should be able to decode simple words and so it is an appropriate time to check whether this knowledge has been acquired.

The phonics screening check is a quick and easy check of your child's phonics knowledge. It helps schools confirm whether students have made the expected progress.

The check is carried out by teachers during one pre-set week in June of each year and parents are informed of their child's result by the end of the summer term. It is intended to be a light-touch assessment and has been designed so that it is appropriate for young children.

Children read a list of 40 words to a teacher they know in familiar surroundings and teachers record whether their response to each of the words is correct.

What if my child does not meet the standard in the screening check?

Your school should tell you about your child's progress in phonics and how they have done in the screening check in the last half-term of year 1.

If your child isn't able to decode to the expected standard , their school should also tell you what support they have put in place to help them improve.

You might like to ask how you can support your child to take the next step in reading.

Children who have not met the standard in year 1 will retake the check in year 2.

All children are individuals and develop at different rates. The screening check ensures that teachers understand which children need extra help with phonic decoding.

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Everything you need to know about phonics in schools

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Phonics is an effective way of teaching children to read. By ensuring high quality phonics teaching, we want to improve literacy levels and give all children a solid base to build on as they progress through school. According to our ...

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Watch some filmed practice to consider some of the teaching strategies used. 

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Watch some filmed practice to consider some of the teaching strategies used. 

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Songs, repetition, flashcards, explicit teaching of letters and sounds, teacher modelling... what else can you see?

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Decoding - reading and writing. The double helix theory. 

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Decoding - reading and writing. The double helix theory. 

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Dominic Wyse and Charlotte Hacking

Original article.

This paper introduces a new theory and model for teaching writing and reading.

The topic of how young children should be taught to write and read has long been a subject of extensive research, media attention, and educational policy focus worldwide. While there’s some agreement on the important elements for learning to write, there’s less agreement on how best to teach these elements.

Existing models often explain how children might learn to write but don’t always provide clear guidance on teaching methods.

The Simple View of Writing suggests that effective teaching must address multiple components of writing, including transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (ideas and organisation). Another writing model, developed by Hayes in 2006, includes not only the cognitive aspects of writing but also the social environment and the writer’s motivation.

While these models highlight important aspects of learning to write, they have limitations for teaching. For example, some models wrongly assume that reading and writing are unrelated (though not the Interactive Dynamic Literacy Model!).

The historical focus on teaching reading over writing might be why their interconnections have too often been overlooked