Phonics is an 'indispensable tool' that should be used to teach children how to read by age six, according to a new report by Ofsted.

The coalition Government has committed itself to promoting systematic synthetic phonics in schools, which education secretary Michael Gove advocates as the best way to teach children to read. As part of this plan, the Government is to introduce a reading test for all children at the age of six, to be piloted from next June.

Phonics teaching in the 12 infant and primary schools highlighted in the Ofsted report, Reading by six: How the best schools do it, showed consistency, structure, fast pace, praise and reinforcement, Ofsted said.

The report hints at a more formal direction of learning for young children in the future.

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