As such, teachers are too often left unsure as to what to prioritise in their teaching and assessment.
A report from the inspectorate – entitled Strong foundations in the first years of school (Ofsted, 2024) – is based on previous Ofsted research including its curriculum and subject reviews as well as in-depth visits to 20 primary schools.
It warns that disadvantaged children in particular aren’t always finishing key stage 1 with the foundational knowledge and skills they will need throughout the rest of their education, including “the ability to communicate, read, write and calculate as well as strong physical, emotional and social development”.
The report is concerned about what it calls a “lack of clarity in the curriculum” which leaves teachers unsure about teaching and assessment priorities.
It also leads to the introduction of complex tasks too early, therefore not building children’s fluency in foundational knowledge. There was evidence of schools “not taking sufficient account of children’s starting points”, too.
Furthermore, the report warns that “schools do not always allocate enough time for children to practise what they have been taught so that they remember it”.
All of this is making it harder for these children to learn in later key stages, the report adds.
In particular, the report focuses on the teaching of early reading, which it says is “improving” but it adds that beyond phonics, English curriculums are often “not effective”.
Inspectors found that too often children are asked to complete complex reading and writing tasks before they have been taught and have practised foundational knowledge and skills, such as how to compose simple sentences orally, how to hold a pencil correctly and form letters and numbers, how to spell, and how to become a fluent reader.
The report identifies examples of good practice, such as schools which have adapted their curriculum to emphasise language development in response to an increasing number of children joining reception year with speech, language and communication difficulties.
The report makes a series of recommendations for schools to ensure children build the foundational knowledge and skills they need by the end of key stage 1, including:
- Ensuring that the foundational knowledge and skills that children will need for later learning are clearly set out in the curriculum.
- Providing sufficient opportunities to practise foundational knowledge and skills so they become embedded.
- Ensuring that assessment can pick up children’s misunderstandings quickly.
- Ensuring that end of key stage assessments do not disproportionately influence decisions about curriculum and teaching methods.
Ofsted has said that in light of this report’s findings, it will be “reviewing and updating guidance for inspectors to ensure they focus more on how well curriculum, teaching and assessment is enabling children in reception and key stage 1 to learn foundational knowledge”.
- Ofsted: Research and analysis: Strong foundations in the first years of school, 2024: www.gov.uk/government/publications/strong-foundations-in-the-first-years-of-school/strong-foundations-in-the-first-years-of-school