Forthcoming renewed Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics

Date of issue: Sep. 2006

The Department for Education and Skills has announced the forthcoming renewed Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics. The Framework will be available electronically in early October from this website and will link to a range of supporting guidance. It will be followed by packs sent to all schools containing an introduction to the Framework, the Framework objectives and posters. A DVDROM will follow to provide access to the interactive Framework offline.

The Framework will reflect important developments that have taken place since the inception of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies now subsumed within the Primary National Strategy, notably the recommendations from Jim Rose's review of early reading. It will provide teachers with a resource they can use flexibly to support effective planning and delivery.

In advance of the Framework’s publication, a booklet containing the core documents on phonics and mathematics has been published and will be sent to all local authorities. The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics: core position papers underpinning the renewal of guidance for teaching literacy and mathematics is available to download from the left-hand column of this page. The core documents reflect the most important aspects of the renewed Framework and provide more detailed guidance on the key principles. A description of the key changes in the Framework and a summary of key aspects of the core documents are outlined below.

Key changes in the Framework

Literacy

Learning objectives are organised under twelve strands.
Stronger emphasis on building learning over time and developing the teaching sequence.
Closer focus on assessment for learning during, as well as at the end of, units of work.
Changes which reflect the recommendations from the Rose Review:
- explicit inclusion of speaking and listening objectives;
- greater emphasis on phonics as the key means for children to learn to read and spell, capturing the principles of ‘high quality phonic work’ defined by the Review;
- phonics for reading and spelling brought together under one strand, ‘Word recognition’, and the separation of word recognition learning objectives from those for word comprehension;
- increased expectations for securing word recognition: the Framework objectives support a progression which ensures that most children are well on the way to being fluent and independent readers by the end of key stage 1 (age 7).

Mathematics

Learning objectives organised under 7 strands.
Sharper assessment tools throughout the learning process.
Increased expectations for calculation and recall of number facts.
In particular, the expectation that children should know times tables has been brought forward to Year 4 (age 8), from Year 5 (age 9). There are also changes in expectations for Years 2, 3 and 5 as a result.
Mental calculation is given higher profile and progression in written calculation is clarified.
Greater clarity in the effective use of calculators.
Using and applying maths is also given higher profile.

For both literacy and numeracy, the Framework has been extended to the beginning of state funded education to create greater coherence and continuity within and between the stages of care and education. The Framework supports greater progression through the primary phase and stronger links across the curriculum, with planning and assessments units to secure and develop children’s understanding.

The core documents
The core documents on phonics and mathematics contained in the booklet reflect the key principles from the Framework.

The documents on phonics clarify:

that reading and spelling are reversible processes and understanding this helps children learn the alphabetic code (the correspondences between letters and sounds);
the importance of teachers understanding the distinct but related processes involved in teaching children to recognise words and to comprehend text;
that securing word recognition through phonic work is time-limited, so that learning to read is in time overtaken by ‘reading to learn’ as the focus changes to teaching children comprehension skills.

There is also guidance on pace and progression in teaching phonics in six phases, progression in word recognition in the Framework objectives, and guidance to help schools choose an effective phonics scheme.

The documents on mathematics focus on calculation, and provide guidance on:

the overall learning outcomes that children should achieve in calculation before they leave primary school;
progression in teaching and learning of mental and written methods of calculation, developing children’s use of effective methods that work for any calculation;
the more effective and appropriate use of calculators to support teaching and learning in general, and using calculators when calculation by written and mental methods is not appropriate.