Overview

• Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced a statutory reading assessment for all Year 8 pupils in England to check fluency and comprehension.
• Ministers set a new ambition for 90% of children to meet the Year 1 phonics standard, with current data showing 80% at Year 1 and 89% by Year 2, and 67% for disadvantaged pupils at Year 1.
• Results from the new check will be shared with Ofsted and the Department for Education and given to parents, with no publication of individual schools’ outcomes and no expectation to revise.
• Support measures include expanded English Hubs in reception, early years reforms, secondary teacher training, a £1 million fund for reading resources, and the National Year of Reading 2026.
• Officials aim to reach the phonics ambition by 2029, and the Year 8 test is expected from 2028–29 subject to final plans, as school leaders call for detailed implementation and adequate resourcing.