Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the total spend on literacy programmes for children under seven in in England and Wales in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
Good standards in reading and writing are the foundation for all achievement in education. Evidence shows that systematic synthetic phonics is the most effective approach to early reading, and that is why we have placed it at the heart of the primary English curriculum.
We have invested over £50m over the last five years in programmes aimed at improving reading, writing and language skills. This includes:
The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of year 1 has risen from 58% in 2012 to 81% in 2016.
The Department is not responsible for education standards in Wales as this is a devolved matter.