Pandemic negatively affects pupils’ reading skills, but standards improving

Estyn’s report, Developing pupils’ English reading skills from 10 to 14 years of age, highlights that the best schools teach strategies that help pupils to understand what they’re reading and to develop speaking and listening skills. But only a minority of secondary schools implement these strategies consistently in English lessons and across the curriculum. In both primary and secondary, only a minority of leaders monitor and evaluate the impact of these well enough.

The inspectorate recommends that schools provide high-quality professional learning for teachers on the strategies that most effectively help pupils to develop reading skills.  

Owen Evans, Chief Inspector, says,

‘Improving pupils’ reading skills is a national priority. Although the pandemic had a negative impact, especially on those disadvantaged by poverty, we’re seeing that standards of reading are improving again. Schools that have identified specific skills deficits and are focused on filling these gaps are making the best progress.

‘Our findings shows that the best teachers weave listening, speaking, reading and writing together skilfully so that each benefits the others.

‘We recommend that school leaders, supported by their clusters and improvement partners, provide opportunities for staff to learn about evidence-based teaching strategies to develop pupils’ reading skills across the curriculum.’

The inspectorate highlights some challenges, particularly in secondary schools where the more complex and numerous lesson arrangements make it more difficult than in primary schools to develop reading skills coherently.

Case studies in the report share how some schools have risen well to the challenge. Featured is Cyfarthfa Park Primary School in Merthyr Tydfil which prepares their children to be lifelong learners, through developing confident speakers and proficient readers. The school introduced strategies in their reading sessions that nurtured pupils’ listening and speaking roles. Pupils at the school are confident and articulate, and they express a love of reading in and out of the classroom

The report makes a series of recommendations for school leaders, those working in the classroom, school improvement partners and the Welsh Government. Estyn also urges close monitoring and evaluation of the impact of reading strategies in schools, planning between primary and secondary schools for the transition of pupils, and that the Welsh Government continue to promote and develop its whole-school approach to the national oracy and reading toolkit.