Debating should be encouraged to boost pupils鈥 oracy and steps should be taken to ensure exam preparation does not 鈥渄istort鈥 the English curriculum, Ofsted has said. The findings form part of the inspectorate鈥檚 latest subject, which evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of how English is taught in schools across the country. The watchdog visited 50 schools in England to inform the report and said its evidence for early reading was from trips to 25 schools as part of 鈥渞outine inspection activities鈥. The teaching of reading has 鈥渋mproved markedly鈥 but the curriculum for writing and spoken language is 鈥渓ess effective鈥, it concluded. Ofsted found external assessments 鈥渦nhelpfully shape the curriculum鈥, while schools are 鈥渟ometimes confused about the purposed of English鈥. Sir Martyn Oliver, Ofsted鈥檚 chief inspector, said the focus on teaching phonics meant more pupils are 鈥渓eaving primary school able to read鈥. But “there is more work to be done to improve children鈥檚 writing and language comprehension.鈥 Sir Martyn Oliver Here鈥檚 what you need to know鈥 1. ‘The teaching of reading has improved markedly’ Schools prioritise reading, ensure the curriculum develops this skill and have invested in phonics programmes and training so teachers can teach pupils to read, Ofsted found. They are 鈥渓ess clear about how to build fluency and comprehension鈥 once pupils read accurately, and some secondaries don鈥檛 do enough to help 鈥渨eaker readers catch up鈥. Ofsted said schools should encourage pupils to read a wide range of books once they are fluent readers, to make it a habit. It recommended schools do more to 鈥渉elp pupils who enter key stages 2 or 3 unable to read fluently to catch up quickly鈥 such as by filling 鈥渟pecific gaps鈥 in phonics knowledge. In secondary schools, 鈥渟taff who support the weakest readers鈥 must know how to identify whether they need help with decoding or reading fluency, and act on it”. 2. The writing curriculum is ‘less effective’ The writing curriculum often introduces tricky tasks too soon and primary pupils are not given enough teaching and practice to become 鈥渇luent with transcription early enough鈥. In primary schools, grammar, sentence structure and punctuation was taught 鈥渆xplicitly鈥 but pupils did 鈥渘ot always get enough practice to secure this knowledge鈥. Most primaries visited did not give pupils 鈥渆nough teaching and practice to gain high degrees of fluency in spelling and handwriting鈥. In many schools, pupils were 鈥渆xpected to carry out extended writing tasks before they have the required knowledge and skills鈥. In some schools, 鈥渟pelling needs are left for teachers to determine and address at an individual or class level. It is not uncommon to see the same inaccuracies repeated in books, including the basics, such as capital letters and full stops鈥. Schools are 鈥渙ften unsure how to help pupils who arrive at secondary school unable to read and write fluently鈥 and 鈥渟ometimes activities given to pupils mask, rather than address, skills they need to improve and practise鈥. 3. Pupils need support to ‘become competent speakers’ Schools 鈥渙ften do not consider spoken language well in their English curriculum鈥, Ofsted said. It found schools were 鈥渘ot always clear about how to teach the conventions of spoken language that enable pupils to speak competently in a range of contexts鈥. Teachers often put a pupil’s weakness in speaking down to a 鈥渓ack of confidence鈥 instead of realising they have not been taught enough to 鈥渁rticulate worthwhile contributions鈥. Ofsted recommended schools 鈥渕ake sure the national curriculum requirements for spoken language are translated into practice鈥, so 鈥減upils learn how to become competent speakers鈥. 鈥淭his should include opportunities to teach the conventions of spoken language, for example how to present, to debate and to explain their thinking,鈥 it said. 4. English as a subject in its own right English is 鈥渘ot always seen as a valued subject in its own right鈥 and schools 鈥渟ometimes focus on its supporting role鈥, leading to a 鈥渨eaker and less coherent curriculum鈥. Ofsted said primary schools 鈥渢oo often鈥 chose texts to study in English lessons based on their link to other curriculum areas, 鈥渞ather than on how they might advance pupils鈥 knowledge of English language and understanding of literature鈥. Despite schools allocating 鈥渟ignificant time to the subject鈥, in some, 鈥渕ost commonly鈥 in key stage 1, 鈥渢his time is not always used productively鈥 and 鈥減upils carry out time-filling activities that lack purpose and do not help them to make progress in English鈥. Ofsted said primary schools should choose texts for study in English 鈥渇irst and foremost on literary merit鈥. 5. Exams ‘unhelpfully shape the curriculum‘ Schools 鈥渆xpect pupils to repeatedly attempt complex tasks that replicate national curriculum tests and exams鈥, which comes 鈥渁t the expense of first making sure that pupils are taught, and securely know, the underlying knowledge they need鈥. In some schools, 鈥渃ompleting national curriculum test and exam-style questions is the main, extremely limited, method of improving pupils鈥 reading fluency and comprehension鈥, Ofsted noted. Ofsted found that, in some primary and secondary schools, preparation for external assessments distorted the curriculum. For example, at key stage 3, schools often encourage excessive practice of a narrow range of writing structures to prepare pupils for GCSEs.鈥 Ofsted recommended schools 鈥渆nsure that statutory tests and exams do not disproportionately influence decisions about curriculum and pedagogy鈥. 6. Teachers need ‘high-quality’ professional development Some teachers have 鈥渁 disjointed and narrow understanding of the subject鈥 due to their CPD focusing “mainly on assessment and moderation practices”. And 鈥渂eyond phonics, there is little training for primary teachers to build their professional knowledge about English literature and language鈥. Schools should also 鈥渆nsure teachers have high-quality professional development in English literature and language with time to develop subject knowledge beyond exam specifications鈥 and 鈥渦nderstand what pupils need to learn to be successful in English and how to teach and assess this鈥. They should also plan a reading curriculum that 鈥渄oes not limit them to responding to exam-style questions鈥. The report follows Ofsted鈥檚 English research review published in 2022.