Thematic report |
English language and literacy in settings and primary schools
The report identifies how effectively English-medium settings and schools in Wales support and teach English language and literacy to learners aged three to eleven.
Recommendations
Non-maintained settings, nursery and primary schools should:
- R1 ensure that poverty and disadvantage are not barriers to learners developing secure language and literacy skills
- R2 develop a culture of reading that encourages and enthuses all learners, including boys and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to read for pleasure and provide opportunities to listen to adults reading aloud
- R3 develop explicitly learners’ vocabulary knowledge so that it supports the development of their speaking, reading and writing skills
Primary schools should:
- R4 develop a clear strategy to support the effective teaching of reading, including addressing learners’ decoding skills, vocabulary development and advanced reading skills
- R5 provide appropriately challenging and relevant opportunities to support the progressive development of learners’ listening and speaking skills, particularly in key stage 2
- R6 support the development of learners’ writing skills through the explicit teaching of sentence construction, punctuation and spelling, relevant opportunities to write and precise feedback to guide further improvement
Local authorities and regional consortia should:
- R7 provide high-quality professional learning that meets the individual needs of settings and schools, to ensure that all learners, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, improve their language and literacy skills
The Welsh Government should:
- R8 evaluate settings’ and schools’ use of targeted funding, such as the early years pupil development grant and the pupil development grant, to improve eligible learners’ language and literacy skills