Margaret M, Clark OBE, Sue Reid and Jude Sloan at Newman University, Jonathan Glazzard at Leeds Beckett University and Colin Mills at Manchester University have conducted independent research into the impact of the systematic synthetic phonics government policy on literacy courses at institutions delivering initial teacher education in England.
The report of this research is now available to read and download from the Newman University website.
An article summarising the research published in the Education Journal 411: 18-21 is also available on the same website.
In January 2020, Ofsted published a consultation document on the future inspection of initial teacher education institutions in England. The new policy will be announced shortly and if ratified will be implemented in September 2020.
The research, conducted in 2019, involved a survey which was completed by 38 academics at ITE providers in England, 10 of whom were interviewed to explore in more detail the findings from the survey. This research is evidence of the current situation. The data was collected before the publication of the Ofsted Consultation document in January 2020, the results of which are due to be announced in June 2020, to be implemented in September 2020. Ofsted may further curtail the power of professionals in planning the content of their courses in early reading if they wish their institutionsto retain the right to train teachers. Please encourage professionals to read our evidence which is relevant to this policy. NB This applies only to England.
For further information please contact Margaret.clark@newman.ac.uk
