Recommendation 30

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted

PLANS ALREADY IN PLACE This government is determined to drive up standards for young people. Reading holds the key to the rest of the curriculum, with pupils who struggle to read so often struggling across the board–particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In our response the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report, published on 5 November 2025, we made clear that we want to see all students build the core knowledge, skills and confidence in English and maths that will enable them to show progress in their learning and feel that is valuable and recognised. In maths we will review the curriculum from key stages 1 to 3 with a particular focus on resequencing content (particularly in the ‘number’ domain) to deepen pupils’ understanding, including via non-routine problem solving. We will also review the key stage 4 curriculum and GCSE content to ensure that they continue to be fit for purpose. We will introduce a new expectation for schools to assess pupil progress in maths in Year 8 and will support them to draw on a range of high-quality products to do so. Raising standards of attainment is a national priority for our Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams, who will drive improvements in the quality of teaching maths through our national network of RISE maths hubs. For example, the RISE Maths Hub’s Securing Foundations in Year 7 programme helps teachers to spot and address gaps in early understanding in secondary school. We are strengthening our support for phonics by setting an ambition for 90% of children to meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check by the end of Year 1. To help reach this goal, we will support families to develop children’s language and learning at home through our Best Start Family Hubs, and deliver new training for reception year teachers so that children are well prepared to meet this benchmark. To further enhance reading fluency, we will double the reach of our Reading Ambition for All programme, enabling more teachers to receive training. Additionally, we will introduce a new oracy framework to help pupils become confident, fluent speakers and listeners by the end of primary school. To support writing development, we will improve the assessment of writing at key stage 2 with a greater focus on fluent writing. This will build on the existing support for writing in schools, including the writing framework published in July 2025, which was the Department for Education’s initial step in a long-term strategy to improve writing instruction and raise achievement. We are introducing a reading check for all pupils in year 8, to help ensure that schools are identifying and providing support to pupils who need it at the beginning of secondary school, enabling them to access the entire curriculum and succeed in their GCSEs. We will also support schools to draw on a range of high-quality products to assess pupil progress in writing and maths in Year 8. This builds on the wider support we are providing to drive up standards in reading including training and resources for secondary school teachers to help them support readers at all levels, with a particular focus on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind. On 5 February 2025, the government announced a £2 million investment to drive high and rising standards in reading and writing. Since September 2025, secondary schools have had access to funded support to foster a strong whole-school reading culture, and in January 2026 they will get access to the Unlocking Reading programme, a CPD package delivered by FFT Education on behalf of DfE aimed at boosting reading through evidence-based strategies. In academic year 2025/26, 31 English Hubs will pilot expansion into secondary schools, providing funding and bespoke support. This will create valuable opportunities for primary and secondary schools to collaborate on evidence-based support for secondary readers. The pilot will reach approximately 10% of secondary schools. English Hubs will be supported by an expert advisory group consisting of secondary practitioners and researchers with expertise in reading. To strengthen literacy and communication skills across secondary education, we will publish a new combined secondary oracy, reading and writing framework. In addition, we will update GCSE qualifications, with changes taking effect from the 2029/30 academic year onwards.