The Welsh Government has published a new Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan, setting out a series of measures designed to improve educational outcomes and provide teachers with greater clarity on how literacy and numeracy should be taught across Wales.
Published on 15 September, the plan introduces new national indicators, a baseline assessment for children starting school, and clearer guidance on what learners should be expected to achieve at different stages of their education.
The initiative marks one of the first major education reforms of the new Welsh Government and has been developed in response to concerns raised by teachers and the wider education workforce about consistency, standards and classroom expectations.
While the plan sits alongside the Curriculum for Wales, ministers have stressed that the curriculum will remain central to the country's education system. Instead, the new framework is designed to give schools and teachers additional tools and support to help improve attainment.
A key feature of the strategy is the introduction of clearer expectations around Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP), strengthening the teaching of early reading skills. Schools will also be expected to establish literacy and numeracy improvement targets while setting personalised goals for individual learners.
Taking a holistic approach, the plan covers children and young people aged 0 to 16, recognising that literacy and numeracy development begins long before formal education starts. Measures include greater parental engagement, support for reading and language development at home, wider access to books through school libraries, and initiatives aimed at reducing poverty-related barriers to learning. The Welsh Government says the extended childcare offer will play an important role in supporting these objectives.
The framework also seeks to strengthen the identification of learners who may require additional support. New assessment measures will include a baseline assessment when children start school and a Year 6 progress indicator delivered through Personalised Assessments, helping schools track development as pupils transition from primary to secondary education.
Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Anna Brychan, said:
“As a new government we have made education a key priority and we are taking decisive action to raise standards in our schools and give young people the skills they need to succeed.
“We owe it to current and future generations to get literacy and numeracy right. The Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan is about setting clear expectations for action and giving teachers and schools the clarity they have asked for after a long programme of reform.
“Literacy and numeracy are central to everything we aspire to achieve. They are the building blocks on which learning, work and life in general are based. Today marks a key milestone in delivering on our ambition for an effective, confident and collaborative education system that works for all learners and empowers all partners to thrive.”
The plan is expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of education policy in Wales, with a strong emphasis on improving standards, supporting teachers and ensuring learners develop the core skills needed to succeed throughout their lives.
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