KELLY WELCOMES ROSE REVIEW TO BOOST CHILDRENS READING

1 Dec 2005 11:15 AM

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly today welcomed the interim report of the Rose Review of the Teaching of Early Reading. The report is a roadmap to the most effective ways to teach reading to young children, to give them that crucial head-start in life.

Jim Rose's recommendations build on the successes of the Primary National Strategy. Primary school teaching has been transformed since the launch of the Strategy in 1998. Standards in primary schools have never been higher with 84% of 11 year olds now reaching the expected level for their age in reading, and 79% reaching the expected overall level for their age in English Key Stage 2 tests.

Ruth Kelly said that the time was right to renew the Primary National Strategy and ensure even more children are helped to read at an early stage.

The interim stage of Jim Rose's eagerly-awaited independent review of the teaching of early reading today recommended:

- that teaching must be set within a broad and rich language curriculum environment, with particular attention to developing children's speaking and listening skills as an essential precursor to phonics

- systematic, direct teaching of synthetic phonics should be the first strategy taught to all children learning to read, introduced by the age of 5

- while good mainstream practice will raise standards, there will always be some children who need more intensive intervention - and the key to success here is the integration of the catch up support such children receive, and their whole group teaching

- that the commitment of senior staff; effective monitoring of teaching and learning; and high quality teaching are all essential to improving phonics teaching practice.

Jim Rose said :

"This review comes at a time when it is widely accepted by practitioners, teachers and researchers that phonic work is essential though not sufficient in learning to read and write. Despite this positive consensus about the importance of phonic work, which is a considerable move forward in itself, there are deeply divided professional views about how phonic work is best taught.

"The review is therefore centred on judging the best way forward from the standpoint of the learners, that is to say children who are beginner readers and writers."

Ruth Kelly said:

"I welcome this important report. Jim Rose has given us a strong and authoritative lead on the directions we need to take to capitalise on the improvements in the teaching of reading that we have seen since 1998.

"This report will help to demolish two myths. First, that our support to schools to date has ignored the teaching of phonics. Phonics is at the heart of our literacy framework, including our most recent phonics programme "Playing with Sounds" - and the report is clear that the prominence now given to phonic work in schools would not have taken place without the stimulus given to it by the Primary National Strategy.

"And second, that an emphasis on phonics implies teaching that is joyless and regimented. On the contrary, exciting and engaging teaching can ensure children master the phonics code and take pride in doing so.

"I fully endorse all the recommendations in the Rose report, and will ensure that they are implemented through the renewal of the Primary National Strategy's framework for literacy, which I initiated earlier this summer. I fully agree with Jim Rose that phonics should be taught systematically and discretely, within a broad and rich language curriculum that takes full account of developing speaking, listening, reading and writing; and exposes children to the wealth of good literature and favourite books.

"Before the literacy hour, the debate was about whether or not to introduce phonics. With the literacy hour, the debate has moved on - phonics is a part of every child's development. Our challenge now is to learn from the best evidence of what works and when, and to embed that within the literacy strategy for the future.

"Getting literacy right in the early years is key to children's long term educational success and is at the heart of the Education White Paper. We are absolutely committed to raising attainment and helping those who are falling behind. Jim Rose's final report will look in more detail at how teachers can provide the right early intervention and catch-up support for those facing the greatest challenges.

"This report draws on the experience of experts and what works best for children and I look forward to the coming full Rose Review report".

This interim report sets out the direction of travel but Jim Rose will deliver his final detailed report early next year.

Notes to Editors

This press notice relates to England

1. Jim Rose has been an education consultant since 1999, having undertaken a number of assignments for government and educational organisations both at home and overseas. His high profile reports include Curriculum Organisation and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools published in 1992 and he chaired the independent scrutiny panel on the 1999 Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Tests in English and Mathematics. After holding a variety of teaching posts in both primary and secondary schools, including two headships, he was appointed HMI in 1975 as a primary education specialist. He became Staff Inspector for Pupils with Specialist Educational Needs in 1979, Chief Inspector with national responsibilities including primary education (1983), and Director of Inspection, OFSTED (1994). He is currently a member of the QCA Board.

2. In the PIRLS international study published in 2003, England's 10 year olds achieved the third highest scores in reading literacy out of the 35 countries which took part.

3. During 2004/05, Ofsted inspectors found that around three-quarters of primary teaching in English and mathematics was excellent or good or better, whereas in 1997/98 just over half of teaching overall was judged excellent or good.

4. The report is available online -
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/rosereview/interim/

5. Attached at Annex A is a copy of a letter from Ruth Kelly to Jim Rose thanking him for his report.

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