TO BE PUBLISHED December 2025
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This conference will examine the way forward for literacy, oracy and numeracy in England’s schools and early years settings.
It follows publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report and the Government’s response, which sets out new measures for improving literacy, oracy and numeracy across all key stages.
Policy priorities and curriculum reform
Delegates will consider plans to introduce a mandatory test for reading ability for students in Year 8 in light of concerns that children are falling behind in literacy, looking at the potential impact on teacher workload, assessment pressures, and tracking learner attainment.
Implementation of other measures included in the Government’s response to the Review will be considered, including setting an ambition for 90% of children to meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check by the end of Year 1, an increased focus on oracy, and strengthened writing assessments in Year 6, alongside DfE’s Writing Framework - which aims to set out the most effective approaches for teaching writing - and an expansion in the reach of Maths Champions.
Further sessions will examine how best to implement the Government’s aims to link content across different subjects to allow schools to fully embed literacy, oracy and numeracy across the curriculum, as well as the Government’s commitment to provide a library in all primary schools in England by the end of this Parliament.
The conference also comes with a renewed policy focus on foundational skills, including the Government’s aim of functional literacy and numeracy for all by the age of 18, and the recent launch of the Government’s National Year of Reading for 2026, which aims to tackle the fall in reading rates.
It will be an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to consider priorities for the implementation of a diagnostic test in English and maths to be taken in Year 8 to better identify gaps in learning and enable targeted intervention measures for children at risk of falling behind. Discussion will also consider measures for developing oracy provision across the curriculum as the Government develops an oracy framework at primary level and a combined secondary level oracy, reading and writing framework.
Sessions assess priorities for improving progression and outcomes in reading, writing, and mathematics, considering how curriculum and assessment can more accurately reflect pupils’ real-world understanding, creativity, and problem-solving ability, particularly in light of potential changes to the grammar and punctuation test at KS2. Delegates will discuss the way forward for system governance and accountability structures, including collaboration to support stakeholders in implementing these reforms, and how roles are defined across local authorities, schools, trusts and nurseries as the sector adapts to new national responsibilities.
Early years
Delegates will discuss next steps for strengthening early language and numeracy skills, including for disadvantaged children, following the extension of funding for Stronger Practice Hubs and expansion of the Maths Champions programme. We also expect discussion on the Government’s recently published Best Start in Life Strategy, which aims to improve child development through funding for early interventions in English and maths, as well as a commitment to roll out Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to provide early language support.
Attendees will consider support needed by early years practitioners to enable them to deliver high-quality provision, ensuring that curriculum design supports strong foundations, as well as best practice in easing the transition into primary school settings, including strategies for improving uptake of optional KS1 assessment within primary settings to track and measure progress. Further areas for discussion include supporting maintained nursery schools in leading local improvement, and how to achieve sustainable funding and consistent pedagogy across different providers.
Curriculum, assessment, English and maths hubs, and workforce priorities
Delegates will assess the effectiveness of hubs, including the impact of the Government’s recent £2m commitment to training in phonics and early reading, and consider options for further strengthening early literacy in light of a new phonics-inspired Writing Framework. Discussion will also consider strategies to prevent geographical disparities in hub coverage and priorities for ensuring quality in training delivery.
Further sessions will consider workforce priorities, including how best to support practitioner confidence and subject knowledge in delivering literacy and numeracy, development of a new teacher assessment framework to provide a greater focus on writing fluency, supporting teachers in delivering assessment as to not overburden them, the potential use of digital tools skills, and strategic approaches to recruitment and retention. Discussion will look at how to manage curriculum content and design at KS1 and 2, considering concerns around overload while continuing to secure high standards in literacy and numeracy for all learners.
Pupil engagement, inclusion, foundational skills & preparation for GCSE resits
Best practice in supporting struggling readers in secondary schools will be examined - including continuity of support beyond primary education and effective training for teachers - and the way forward for improving pupil engagement. Attendees will consider approaches for addressing issues of equity, inclusion, and sustained intervention for those at risk of falling behind beyond early years, as well as bridging potential gender attainment gaps in English and maths. The role of libraries and community partnerships in promoting reading cultures beyond literacy skills will also be considered, in light of aims for wider rollout.
We expect further discussion on the recommended introduction of a Level 1 stepped qualification for students that have not achieved a grade 4 at GCSE, with the qualification to be taken prior to resitting English and Maths GCSE. Delegates will look at the likely impact of the new qualification on student progression, teaching practice, and post-16 outcomes. The introduction of increased funding and disadvantage payments will also be considered, alongside revised progress measures to support effective teaching and reduce repeated resits.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Education; Department for the Economy, NI; and the Welsh Government.
