Early phonics success 'may wane'

Teacher training is a key component of the strategy

Initial success in improving the way young children are taught to read may peter out if teachers' commitment wanes, a government adviser has warned.

Sir Jim Rose, who advocated the systematic use of phonics in England, said not all infant classes were building on pre-school progress.

Teachers needed sustained support, in view of other major curriculum changes.

The government has confirmed £9m for training, and promised the national adoption of the reading programme.

Sir Jim has written to Schools Secretary Ed Balls updating him on the progress made since his report on early reading three years ago.

He said it was clear there had been "considerable, though uneven, improvements in the provision for, and teaching of, beginner readers".

The substantial progress young children were making was reflected in the national data for 2008 on what is known as the early years foundation stage profile, he said.

Teaching focus

It was clear that very few children were incapable of learning to read at all.

"Failure to learn to read is far more often to do with the nature of the teaching than the nature of the child."

So high quality teaching was crucial.

As a priority, the focus should be on "those settings and schools who, for whatever reason, are not yet providing the quality of teaching necessary for children to reach the standards of which they are capable".

International experience showed that centrally driven initiatives "may make a good start but fail to spread and embed best practice because teachers' commitment to them wanes".

"Such slippage is often associated with a lack of sustained support..." he added.

Special advisers

Jim Rose is also conducting a wholesale review of the primary curriculum for the Westminster government.

He has suggested that that six broad "areas of learning" could replace individual subjects, with a more flexible, less "overloaded" timetable.

One of these would be understanding English, communication and languages.

Sir Jim warns that given the scale of such changes it will be crucial to ensure a sustained focus on securing high standards of reading.

In response to his letter, Mr Balls said the remaining 50 local authorities would join the existing 100 already operating the programme designed to implement Sir Jim's recommendations.

A £9m commitment meant every area would have a specialist adviser training and supporting early years practitioners and primary school teachers.

The government was separately funding a scheme to ensure that newly qualified teachers got the best possible training in the use of phonics from this year - another concern raised in Sir Jim's letter.

"We know that ensuring children are confident communicators and able to read and write well is vital to their development and progress at school," he said.