The UK government, through the Department for Education (DfE), has announced plans to introduce a mandatory reading test for Year 8 pupils (aged 13-14) in state schools in England. This statutory assessment will focus on reading fluency and comprehension, providing a checkpoint to identify pupils who need additional support while allowing stronger readers to advance. The results will be shared with schools for targeted interventions, parents for awareness, and Ofsted and the government for broader oversight, but individual school results will not be publicly published to avoid creating league tables. The test is not designed for revision but to ensure clear expectations around reading skills.
This initiative is part of the government’s upcoming schools white paper, expected to outline broader education reforms into the 2030s. While an exact rollout date hasn’t been confirmed, reports indicate ministers aim to implement it starting from the 2028-29 academic year. It builds on existing programs like the phonics screening check in primary schools, with a new national ambition for 90% of children to meet expected phonics standards. Additional support includes expanding English Hubs for early years, teacher training in secondary reading strategies, and a £1 million fund for schools with high needs to purchase reading resources. A National Year of Reading in 2026 will also promote reading for pleasure through partnerships with schools, libraries, and businesses.
The proposal stems from the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which is examining the national curriculum and assessments for 5- to 19-year-olds to better meet modern needs, including literacy. Unions have raised concerns about potential added stress for pu pils and staff, but the government emphasizes its role in early identification without high-stakes pressure.
For official details, refer to the DfE’s announcement on GOV.UK or the forthcoming white paper. GCSE English Pass Rates (Grade 4 and Above) in the Past 5 Years GCSE English Language results in England show fluctuating pass rates (grade 4 or higher, considered a “standard pass”) over the past five years, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. During 2020 and 2021, exams were canceled, and grades were based on teacher assessments, leading to higher rates. Grading returned to pre-pandemic norms by 2023, with slight declines in recent years. Data below focuses on 16-year-olds (the typical GCSE cohort) in England, as overall figures (including resits by older students) are lower due to poorer performance in resits.
• 2025: 70.6% (down from 71.2% in 2024)
• 2024: 71.2% (down from ~72% in 2023, but still above 2019 levels)
• 2023: ~72% (exact figure varies slightly by source, but post-pandemic normalization led to a dip from inflated years)
• 2022: 74.7% (transition year back to exams)
• 2021: 79.9% (teacher-assessed grades during pandemic)
• 2020: 78.8% (teacher-assessed grades during pandemic)
• 2019 (pre-pandemic baseline): ~70%
These figures come from Ofqual and JCQ data.
Overall pass rates (all ages) are lower — e.g., 59.7% in 2025—due to resits, where only ~20.9% of 17+ year-olds pass. Disparities exist: females outperform males (e.g., 70.5% vs. 64.3% overall in 2025), and ethnic groups vary, with Chinese pupils at 88.6% for English and maths combined.
Evidence Supporting the Change to Improve Student English Standards. The government’s push for this change is driven by evidence of persistent literacy gaps in secondary schools, particularly affecting disadvantaged pupils, which hinder overall academic progress. Key supporting data includes:
• Primary to Secondary Transition Issues: Over 25% of Year 6 pupils do not meet expected reading standards in SATs, entering secondary school without secure skills.
This leads to pupils “spinning their wheels or falling further behind” without intervention.
• Long-Term Outcomes for Struggling Readers: Only 10% of disadvantaged pupils who leave primary below reading standards achieve grade 4 in GCSE English and maths. Fewer than 1 in 5 overall in this group pass.
• Declining Reading Engagement: National Literacy Trust research shows reading for enjoyment is declining, especially among disadvantaged groups. Children who enjoy reading are twice as likely to have above-average skills, but low engagement correlates with poorer wellbeing and attainment.
• International Comparisons (PISA): In PISA 2022, England’s reading score was 505 (above OECD average of 493), stable from 2018 but with no significant improvement. Concerns persist about equity, as disadvantaged pupils lag, and results may be inflated by sampling issues.
• Ofsted and EEF Insights: Ofsted reports highlight weaknesses in secondary English, including inconsistent support for struggling readers across subjects. The Education Endowment Foundation recommends targeted literacy interventions in secondary schools to address these gaps.
• Group-Specific Underachievement: The proposal targets groups like white working- class boys and disadvantaged pupils, who show higher under-achievement in reading.
These factors underscore that weak reading limits access to the wider curriculum, contributing to disengagement and lower GCSE outcomes. The test aims to intervene earlier, building on phonics successes to raise overall standards.