Nursery World - Synthetic phonics worries educators

Early years experts warned last week that there were dangers in promoting synthetic phonics, as the Government unveiled a review into the way reading is taught in England's primary schools. Education secretary Ruth Kelly announced that former Ofsted director of inspection Jim Rose would lead an independent review of the role of synthetic phonics and support for children who had the greatest reading difficulties.

Education secretary Ruth Kelly announced that former Ofsted director of inspection Jim Rose would lead an independent review of the role of synthetic phonics and support for children who had the greatest reading difficulties.

Mr Rose is to look at techniques in teaching reading and make recommendations based on academic research, reports by Ofsted and the Education Select Committee, and best practice in early years settings and schools.

He will provide an interim report by November, with final recommendations in January on best practice in the content and pace of teaching reading and synthetic phonics in primary schools and early years settings, and how it fits with the development of the birth-to-five framework.

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