DE – CURRICULUM REFORM – IMPROVING LITERACY IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Literacy provision in Northern Ireland primary schools currently varies widely, with no system wide standardised approach to early reading instruction. Although the curriculum provides support and schools implement their own interventions, significant attainment gaps persist, particularly in Communication at Key Stage 2. This research project is designed to address these gaps by evaluating the impact of a structured synthetic phonics programme, Read Write Inc., across a stratified and representative sample of schools. The aim is to generate robust, generalisable evidence to inform the new literacy strategy and curriculum reform. This initiative forms a core component of the Department’s TransformED programme and directly supports the Minister’s priorities for raising literacy outcomes system wide.