THE Tories set out an ambitious goal today to ensure that children can read by the age of six.
Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove announced that the Conservatives would scrap the Key Stage 1 exam for six and seven-year-olds and replace it with a straightforward reading test.
Tory leader David Cameron will flesh out the party's proposals for education later this week with plans for long-term structural change to narrow the attainment gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children.
But a key plank of the drive will involve extending the use of "synthetic phonics", which focuses on teaching the sounds which make up words.
In an article for The Sunday Times today, Mr Gove said: "At the age of six, a child should have learned to read".
Failure
He went on that "eradicating the plague of reading failure" would be the bedrock of further improvements in educational achievement.
"Nowhere has the educational establishment's influence been more damaging than in teaching reading," he said.
"It is only once children have learnt to read that they can then go on to read to learn.
"But every year thousands of children leave primary school without the ability to read properly.
"And these are the young people who, because they cannot benefit from even the best teaching in secondary schools, go on to become disruptive and ill-disciplined and, all too often, drop out of the system."
On Tuesday, Mr Cameron will further spell out his education policy with the publication of a "green paper" detailing long-term structural proposals.
A central criticism of the present system will be that disadvantaged children fall further behind as they progress through school.
Plans will involve targeting resources at those deemed most in need and challenging teaching methods which have sidelined synthetic phonics despite evidence of its success.
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21st century government with a 17th century mentallity.Its for control in our schools ,and control the parents of these children.You will only get educated children when they have a decent family life and control in the home.Good food and family life is the secret of a good start for children.
its not alldown to schools to teach children david cameron. It is also parents responsibility and they should take more than half the blame. as usual they will blame anyone but themselves
The children that this is targetted towards are in no need of lerning to read and write.
The police read them their rights when they are arrested. And they will have a swipe card to "sign on" at the Jobcentre.
My kids aged 5 and 6 uses phonics at school they both read and spell out words brilliantly for their ages.
both my children now 31 and 22 had learnt to read by the time they went to school Thanks to the Peter and Jane books with the repetitive words My granddaughter aged 2 can already read the first of these books All it takes is for parents to sit down and read with children for half an hour a day
Maybe if there was less other things going on like projects and religion they have more time for the basics.Kids aren't allowed to be kids anymore a full day at school....homework and more,give the kids a break,let them be kids.They learn through play too.
Totally agree with gladioli of openshaw, I could read when I was 4
every child is different, i have a 6 year old who can read like an adult can and a 8 year old who isnt as good but is brilliant at other things. as long as a child is doing there very best and parents and teachers are supporting them thats what counts. You cant put an age limit on learning
You will never, EVER encourage a passion for reading by compulsion.
Besides, the general populous have been brainwashed into thinking that teaching a child to read is something that only the 'experts' can do. Parents have been discouraged from 'meddling' with their child's' education, because it may conflict with the methods taught in school.
How about we unburden teachers from the ridiculous amount of bureaucracy they're expected to deal with, and give them back the time to attend to each child at the childs own pace.
Better yet, how about we see the information that home education is an equally valid option placed in all the mainstream arenas, local gov websites, parenting mags, health visitor leaflets, supermarket parent and baby club leaflets and freebie mags and online parenting support sites like the new Gurgle.com ? Children are being detached from the people who have the most investment in them (their family) at an earlier and earlier age and sadly, no matter how well meaning, those employed to care for them and then to teach them simply don't have the man hours, nor the ultimate investment in the child, to make sure each child is comfortable with what they know before progressing on to something new. Those who could read before entering school never had to endure the pressure that children are under today. Nor did they have their self esteem regarding their ability to parent eroded by the constant stream of experts who always seem to know better about what is right for everyone elses children.
Right now, we have 4 year olds who get homework?!!! For goodness sake they're not even of compulsory school age and they're getting homework from a nursery class!!!?!! Anyone bleating on about how easy it was for them or their children haven't a clue about what school or parenting little ones is like today!