Long-awaited EEF phonics study shows disappointing progress

Children who learn to read using the country’s “leading” phonics programme make one month’s additional progress compared to their peers, while older pupils using a linked catch-up programme typically fall at least two months’ behind.

That is the “disappointing” conclusion of a long-awaited independent evaluation by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) of the Read Write Inc and Fresh Start schemes, offered by Ruth Miskin Training and used by 8,000 schools.

However, the £1 million evaluation was beset with problems during the pandemic, with the EEF urging caution on interpreting the findings.