Guidance

The reading framework

Guidance for primary and secondary schools to meet existing expectations for teaching reading.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 10 July 2021
• Last updated: 22 September 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

The reading framework

PDF, 1.74 MB, 171 pages

Details

This guidance is for:

• teachers
• school leaders
• reading and literacy leads
• governing bodies
• initial teacher training partnerships
• specialist provision

This guidance:

• sets out the research underpinning the importance of talk, stories and systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) in reception, the importance of fidelity in phonics, and the Department for Education’s evidence-informed position on the best way to teach reading
• supports schools to evaluate their teaching of reading from reception to year 9, and to identify how to improve provision if weaknesses are found
• provides practical support for high-quality teaching of SSP, fluency and comprehension, including assessment
• explains the importance of systematic phonics teaching for older pupils who are at risk of failing to learn to read because they cannot decode well enough
• supports schools in motivating pupils to develop a love of reading
• supports schools working with parents to help their children learn to read
• helps schools to meet existing expectations for teaching early reading, as set out in:
  • the national curriculum programmes of study
  • the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage
  • Ofsted’s education inspection framework

This document has been developed through the contributions of experts from across the literacy sector and of school leaders. It is based on the valued experience and knowledge of teachers, reading and language experts, educational organisations, English hubs council members, and our 34 English hubs.

Schools considering purchasing a new SSP programme can find more information at choosing a phonics programme.

Further support for schools is available through our English hubs programme.

Published 10 July 2021
Last updated 22 September 2023 + show all updates

1. 22 September 2023

   Replaced 'The reading framework' with a new version to correct formatting errors and broken hyperlinks.

2. 11 July 2023

   Updated to include pupils up to year 9. Added guidance: developing fluency (section 4), pupils who need the most support (section 5), what skilled readers can do (section 6), organising and promoting books (section 7), developing a reading for pleasure culture (section 8), reading across the curriculum (section 9), teaching reading in the English lesson (section 10), national assessments (section 11), leadership and management of reading (section 12) and supporting pupils’ reading in key stage 3 (section 13).

3. 27 January 2022

   Corrected a sentence about decodable books and texts on page 51 of 'The reading framework: teaching the foundations of literacy - all sections and appendices' and page 15 of 'Section 3: word reading and spelling'.

4. 10 July 2021

   First published.