How old is Alastair, Sarah?

It was also good to see reading in schools in Wales getting more attention this week.

Thanks to Teleri Glyn Jones from BBC Politics Wales for the shout out for our journalism at @itvnews.bsky.social

Very interesting comments from Luke Sibieta of the IFS
too👇
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

It comes weeks after we revealed an email sent in error by one of Estyn's most senior directors dismissing a literacy expert as "evangelical" but saying by meeting her "at least we'll have given her air time."

www.itv.com/news/2025-11...

I'll have to dig that stuff out

Sorry for the late response on this. Thanks for the context, I was not aware of it!

I was surprised to hear that about DW though. I researched members when the panel was appointed last year. He's praised Reading Recovery, Marie Clay and Ken Goodman, says the 3-cueing system is misunderstood etc

Police also described the dog as a "family dog".

A fundraiser set up to pay for the baby's funeral costs has already passed it's target of £3,500:

www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...

It is :(

It just seems odd that the Welsh Government appears likely to back that horse, rather than the one that’s already delivered outstanding, replicated gains in reading outcomes worldwide - particularly among disadvantaged students.

Also, hasn't Dominic Wyse been a long-time proponent of WLL?

Forgive me if I was unclear: I understand that the Double Helix model draws on existing data - but it isn’t actually based on any empirical evidence of its own. As you say, that's something the authors acknowledge and of course every theory starts out that way...

Wales can't afford to get this wrong.

But thanks for engaging - who knows what will happen in Wales...we'll wait and see what the new literacy school comes up with!

It's certainly an interesting paper.

Unclear to me why a conceptual model with no empirical data behind it is a better option for Wales than one which has a broad evidence base and which is clearly leading to actual improvements in reading outcomes in schools right now in the country next door.

I think the time to worry about too much synthetic phonics is when it is actually used consistently across the country and kids can decode

3/3

- The minister says some teachers may want to use cueing

- So does the chief inspector of schools

- Schools can use whichever schemes they like, even if there’s no evidence they’re effective.

- The government has appointed balanced literacy advocates to its new literacy school.

2/3

In Wales, that’s putting the cart so far in front of the horse the poor blighter can’t even see it!

- Here the government doesn’t even recommend synthetic phonics

- Teachers are told only to start phonics when children are “ready” (not specified when)

1/3

Do you think so? What about the Clackmannanshire study?

I should say, having spoken to Elizabeth, she hasn't just resigned due to a failure to commit to synthetic phonics, though that is part of it.

Thank you Jim

13/ So has the Welsh Conservatives’ Education spokeswoman Natasha Asghar👇

12/
Plaid Cymru Education Spokesman Cefin Campbell has released a statement following our story👇

11/
The Welsh government has responded, please see this statement 👇