Year 8 state school pupils in England could face mandatory reading tests

"The government's forthcoming white paper on schools is to include a new test of reading ability for pupils in year 8, when they are aged 12 or 13, in an effort to encourage secondary schools to improve their teaching. The last Labour government scrapped national tests for year 9 pupils in 2008. If the new reading test is adopted it would mean England's state school pupils taking a compulsory national test in seven out of their 14 school years."

"The Department for Education (DfE) declined to comment on the proposal, first reported in Schools Week, but a spokesperson said: This government is determined to drive up standards for young people. Reading holds the key to the rest of the curriculum, with pupils who struggle to read so often struggling across the board particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our forthcoming white paper will set out an ambitious vision to make sure every young person, wherever they grow up, has the opportunity to succeed."

A compulsory national reading test for year 8 pupils is proposed to begin in 2028–29 if approved. The test would add to existing national assessments, resulting in tests in seven of 14 school years. The policy targets underachievement among white working-class pupils, particularly those eligible for free school meals, whose poor reading skills can depress GCSE outcomes. Test results would be published at national level but not by individual schools, and would not automatically trigger DfE improvement action or early Ofsted inspections. The proposal reflects concerns that secondary schools are less effective than primaries at raising reading levels.

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