Generally known as The Rose Review, this report was commissioned by the government in 2005 to look into how reading was being taught in English schools and whether any improvements were needed.

Its recommendations were strong enough that the government rolled out its own programme Letters and Sounds as an example of the best way to teach reading to reception and Year 1 pupils.

Letters and Sounds has synthetic phonics teachings at its core and is what is known as first quality, best practice teaching – in other words the right way to do things.

The report's recommendations were:

• There would be clear guidance in nursery and primary schools that teaching literacy should involve developing children's speaking and listening skills.



• High-quality, systematic phonic work, as defined by the Rose Review would be taught in all schools and that children should be taught to decode (read) and encode (write) Phonics work should be at the centre of a broad and rich language curriculum that takes full account of developing the four strands of language: They are speaking, listening, reading and writing. Another aim of is to increase children's stock of words.



• The Primary National Strategy, which outlines what should be taught in primary schools, should continue to prove how good quality first teaching is by constant assessment of children's learning, paying particular attention to how they progress in phonics.



• They are also to assess how literacy is developed across the curriculum from the Foundation Stage onwards.

How must be done?

• For most children, high-quality, systematic phonic work should start by the age of five.



• This should be preceded by pre-reading activities that pave the way for such work to start.



• Phonic work for young children should be multi-sensory so it captures their interest, keeps them interested and helps them learn in imaginative and exciting ways.



• The searchlights model of teaching should be rearranged to take full account of word recognition and language comprehension as distinct processes related one to the other.



• 'Quality first teaching' with synthetic phonics should minimise the risk of children falling behind as well as making the whole process cost effective.



• If intervention is necessary for children with significant literacy difficulties, then it must be compatible with the mainstream practice with synthetic phonics at its core.



• Improvements made through intervention must be sustained and built upon when children return to their mainstream class.

How do schools do it properly?

• Headteachers and managers should make sure that phonic work is given appropriate priority in the teaching of beginner readers and this is reflected in decisions about training and professional development for their staff.



• At least one member of staff should be fully able to lead on literacy, especially phonic work.



• Those in leadership and management positions should make sure that the normal monitoring arrangements assure the quality and consistency of phonic work and that staff receive constructive feedback about their practice.



• Headteachers and governors should ensure that high quality teaching of reading in Key Stage 1 informs realistic and ambitious target-setting for English at Key Stage 2.

Ruth Miskin – What the Government Should Do | The Rose Review | Improving Literacy: The Government's Strategy | Leitch Review of Skills | Getting the Basics Right | The Rowntree Report (June 2007) | The Long Term Costs

Top