The use of the ONS statistical data in this work does not imply the endorsement of the ONS in relation to the interpretation or analysis of the statistical data. [...] Trends in key stage 1 reading and writing: ▪ After the introduction of the PSC, an existing general upward trend in the proportion of children meeting the ‘expected standard’ in key stage 1 (KS1) reading continued, though at a slower and stalling rate compared to that before the introduction of the check. [...] Again, at this point, they can ‘pass,’ or ‘fail.’ Therefore, there are three possible outcomes of the check: ‘pass,’ ‘fail-pass,’ or ‘fail-fail.’ Figure 4 shows the percentage of children present in year 1 who attained each outcome, in the years spanning the introduction of the PSC in 2012 to 2019, the final year with data before the Covid pandemic.35 In the first cohort subject to the check – tho. [...] Is there a shift in the proportions of similar pupils meeting the ‘expected standard’ for reading at KS2 that corresponds to the introduction of the PSC? The main thing that Figure 13 highlights is the extreme difficulty, if not impossibility, of drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of the PSC based on pupils’ subsequent KS2 reading scores. [...] Responses were generally similar at the two time points, and the most common was that it ‘has little effect on the curriculum.’ This contrasts with findings in the 2015 evaluation for the Department for Education, which found that in the early years after the introduction of the check, there was ‘evidence that the introduction of the PSC has led to schools making changes to their phonics teaching.
Authors
- Pages
- 72
- Published in
- United Kingdom
Table of Contents
- About the authors 2
- Dr Tammy Campbell 2
- Joni Kelly 2
- About the Education Policy Institute 2
- Acknowledgements 3
- Contents 5
- Executive summary 6
- Overall PSC pass rates 6
- Trends in key stage 2 reading 7
- Trends in key stage 1 reading and writing 7
- Trends in attainment gaps 8
- Trends in pupils being recorded with SEND 8
- Teacher surveys 9
- Policy recommendations 11
- Introduction 12
- The importance of reading 12
- Policy and strategy the phonics screening check 12
- Evidence on the impacts of the Phonics screening check 13
- Figure 1 PIRLS mean overall reading scores for England 15
- Figure 2 Percentage of boys and girls in England responding agree a lot to the statement I enjoy reading in PIRLS questionnaire 16
- Figure 3 Percentage of boys and girls in England reporting less than half an hour spent reading outside school each day in PIRLS questionnaire 17
- The current research 18
- Analytical strategy 20
- National Pupil Database analyses 20
- Scene-setting 21
- Overall patterns of reading and writing attainment 21
- Overall patterns of reading and writing attainment controlling for pupil-characteristics 21
- Attainment gaps 22
- Recording children with special educational needs and disabilities SEND and 22
- Teacher surveys 22
- Results 24
- Scene-setting 24
- Figure 4 Percentage of pupils with each PSC outcome by cohort 25
- Figure 5a Percent with PSC pass by FSM Figure 5b Percent with PSC fail-pass by 26
- FSM 26
- Figure 5c Percent with PSC fail-fail by FSM 26
- Figure 6a Percent with PSC pass by Figure 6b Percent with PSC fail-pass by 26
- Figure 6c Percent with PSC fail-fail by birth season 27
- Figure 7a Percent with PSC pass Figure 7b Percent with PSC fail-pass 27
- Figure 7c Percent with PSC fail-fail by gender 27
- Figure 8a Percent with PSC pass by EAL Figure 8b Percent with PSC fail-pass by EAL 28
- Figure 8c Percent with PSC fail-fail by EAL 28
- Figure 9 Estimated percentage children with each characteristic failing the PSC in 2012 or 2013 taking each other characteristic into account 30
- Section summary 30
- Overall patterns of reading and writing attainment 31
- Figure 10 Percentage of children at the expected level for KS2 reading 32
- Figure 11 Percentage of children at the expected standard for KS1 reading 34
- Figure 11 Percentage of children at the expected standard for KS1 writing 35
- Overall patterns of reading and writing attainment controlling for 36
- Figure 13 Model-estimated proportion of children attaining expected level for KS2 reading cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC 37
- Figure 14 Model-estimated proportion of children attaining expected standard for KS1 reading cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC 38
- Figure 15 Model-estimated proportion of children attaining expected standard for KS1 writing cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC 39
- Section summary 39
- Attainment gaps 41
- Figure 16 Model-estimated proportion of children attaining expected level for KS2 reading cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC. Split by FSM birth season gender 43
- Figure 17 Model-estimated z-scores of children in KS2 reading cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC. Split by FSM birth season gender 43
- Figure 18 Model-estimated proportion of children attaining expected standard for KS1 reading cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC. Split by FSM birth season gender 44
- Figure 19 Model-estimated proportion of children attaining expected standard for KS1 writing cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC. Split by FSM birth season gender 45
- Section summary 45
- Recording children with SEND and relationships between this and KS2 46
- Figure 20 Percent children in each cohort and with each characteristic FSM birth month gender EAL newly recorded with SEND in year 2 47
- Figure 21 Percent children in each cohort and with and without a GLD newly recorded with SEND in year 2 48
- Table 1 Estimated percentage increase in chances of being newly recorded with SEND in year 2 among children failing the PSC compared to matched comparators pre-PSC 51
- Table 2 Estimated percentage decrease in chances of being newly recorded with SEND in year 2 among children passing the PSC compared to matched comparators pre-PSC 52
- Figure 22 Model-estimated z-scores of children in KS2 reading cohorts in year 1 2009 2010 2011 pre-PSC and 2012 2013 2014 post-PSC. Split by whether children are newly recorded with SEND in year 2 54
- Section summary 54
- Teacher surveys 55
- New findings 56
- Figure 23 Teachers responses to the question The year 1 phonics check continues to be controversial amongst teachers and parents. On balance which of these most closely fits your view on it 57
- Figure 24 Teachers responses to the question How do you feel the presence of the phonics check in year 1 and 2 affects teaching in your school 58
- Figure 25 Teachers responses to the question How much lesson time each day was spent on phonics in the fortnight before the Phonics screening check 59
- Figure 26 Teachers responses to the question How much lesson time each day was spent on phonics in the fortnight before the Phonics screening check by proportion FSM- registered pupils in their school 60
- Figure 27 Teachers responses to the question How much lesson time each day was spent on phonics in the fortnight before the Phonics screening check by school Ofsted rating 60
- Figure 27 Teachers responses to the question How much lesson time each day was spent on phonics in the fortnight before the Phonics screening check by teacher age 61
- Figure 28 Teachers responses to the question Which of the following best describes your schools approach to teaching reading at KS1 62
- Figure 29 Teachers responses to the question How does your school teach reading comprehension and phonics at KS1 63
- Figure 30 Teachers responses to the question How is the Phonics screening check used in your school 64
- Section summary 64
- Summary and recommendations 66
- Policy recommendations 67
- References 68
