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Written question asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 February 2026. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Literacy: Standards

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what targets they have set for raising literacy levels for year 7 students entering secondary education during the National Year of Reading.

Answer

The ‘Go All In’ campaign aims to increase reading engagement across all ages and encourage young people to see reading as enjoyable and rewarding, prioritising certain groups, such as boys aged 10 to 16, with a focus on key stage 2 to key stage 3 transition.

To strengthen literacy at the start of secondary school, the department is introducing a mandatory statutory reading assessment for all year 8 pupils, designed to identify gaps in reading fluency and comprehension early, ensuring schools can provide the right support. This academic year we have also launched a secondary pilot of the English Hubs programme, investing £2.3 million to support reading, alongside a national continuing professional development programme, Unlocking Reading, delivered by the Fischer Family Foundation to improve support for struggling readers. These measures collectively aim to strengthen reading engagement and improve literacy outcomes throughout key stage 3.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL14517
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Standards Literacy Reading Secondary education
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk