Literacy progression detail guidance: consultation document

We are seeking views on proposed literacy progression guidance for learners aged 3 to 16.

The guidance forms part of the work arising from the foundational literacy and numeracy plan, published on 15 September, and has been developed to provide greater clarity about what learners need to learn and when. It is intended to supplement the existing guidance for the Languages, Literacy and Communication Area of Learning and Experience within the Curriculum for Wales.

We want your views on:

• the structure and content of the proposed guidance
• the clarity and coherence of progression in oracy, reading and writing
• whether the level of detail provided is appropriate
• how the guidance can support curriculum design, progression planning, learning and teaching
• implementation considerations, including professional learning, resources and support requirements
• the potential impacts of the proposals
• any other matter you think is relevant to the content of the guidance

Responses to this consultation will help inform the final guidance and supporting implementation arrangements.

A range of impact assessments have been undertaken to support the development of the guidance, including a Workload Impact Assessment. This assessment has identified that the guidance is expected to create a limited, short-term increase in workload associated with familiarisation and implementation, which will be mitigated through professional learning and implementation support. Overtime the guidance is expected to reduce workload by providing greater clarity and consistency in literacy learning, teaching and understanding of progression. The consultation provides an opportunity to gather further evidence about practical challenges, implementation considerations and potential workload implications before the guidance is finalised. 

We are consulting on proposed literacy progression guidance to support the learning and teaching of literacy in Wales. The guidance provides additional year-on-year detail about what learners should learn and when as they develop their literacy skills. It is intended to strengthen understanding of progression, support learning and teaching, and help practitioners identify and plan next steps for all learners, including the most able learners.

This guidance is issued to support the design, adoption and implementation of curricula under section 71 of the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021. It is statutory guidance to all those persons and bodies set out below. Those persons must have regard to this guidance when exercising functions under the Act. This means that those persons and bodies must take the guidance into account when making decisions about curriculum design and implementation and must have good reasons if they wish to depart from it.

This guidance is directed at:

• governing bodies of maintained schools including maintained nursery schools
• head teachers at maintained schools including maintained nursery schools
• local authorities in relation to pupil referral units (PRUs)
• teachers in charge of PRUs
• a provider of funded non-maintained nursery education (for example, private nurseries which are funded by the local authority under section 118 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to provide nursery education to children below compulsory school age)

The proposed guidance forms part of the work arising from the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan, published on 15 September to raise standards across Wales. It is designed to supplement the existing Languages, Literacy and Communication Area of Learning and Experience within the Curriculum for Wales.

The guidance has been developed by a Task and Finish Group comprising representatives from Estyn, Dysgu and CAL:ON, working alongside the Welsh Government. Its development has also been informed by stakeholders involved in implementation of the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025, additional learning needs, early years education, and speech, language and communication development.

The guidance forms part of the wider work to raise literacy standards across Wales. It has been developed to provide greater clarity and additional detail about literacy progression within the Curriculum for Wales, helping schools and practitioners understand how literacy learning progresses across the 3 to 16 continuum. It is intended to supplement existing curriculum guidance to support curriculum planning, literacy learning and teaching. The guidance is not intended to affect the content or requirements of current qualifications.

To reflect the distinct linguistic features and approaches to learning and teaching in Wales, two separate guidance documents have been developed simultaneously: one for Welsh literacy progression and one for English literacy progression. While the documents shared a common structure and approach, each reflects the specific nuances and characteristics, language features and pedagogical considerations of its respective language.

Consultation is a key stage in development of the guidance, and we want to hear directly from practitioners, schools and others with an interest in literacy education. Your feedback will help us understand whether the guidance is clear, practical and proportionate, and identify where it can be strengthened to ensure it provides meaningful support for schools and practitioners.

Question 1

To what extent does the proposed progression guidance improve your understanding of how to support learners’ progression in literacy, including supporting development towards progression step 1?

Question 2

To what extent do you think the proposed progression guidance is relevant and appropriate for understanding progression for learners with additional learning needs?

Question 3

How useful do you find the proposed progression guidance in supporting curriculum design, teaching and learning?

Question 4

In striking a balance between clarity, professional autonomy and workload, how would you describe the level of detail provided in the progression step tables?

Question 5

Do you agree with our approach to organising the information by progression steps with typical indicative year groups? (We welcome suggestions of alternative approaches if you have a view on this.)

Question 6

Is the additional detail suitable to support practitioners in teaching other subjects to understand what children need to learn in literacy and when to embed this across the curriculum?

Question 7

How clear and helpful is the introduction section of the guidance?

Question 8

How clear and helpful is the introduction to each progression step?

Question 9

How clear and helpful is the progression step tables content under the heading: ‘Practitioners should’? 

Question 10

How clear and helpful is the progression step tables content under the heading: ‘Learners are confidently and reliably’? 

Question 11

What professional learning, exemplification, resources, assessment support or guidance would support effective implementation of the proposed literacy progression guidance? 

Question 12

What impact do you think the proposed changes would have on your workload, both during implementation and on an ongoing basis? Please explain any positive or negative impacts and any steps that could help to avoid or reduce additional workload. We are particularly interested in: 

• the impact on you now and over the next 12 months
• the likely impact after 12 months
• what could be done to mitigate the impact

Question 13

What, in your opinion, would be the likely effects of the proposed literacy progression guidance on the Welsh language?

We are particularly interested in any likely effects on opportunities to use the Welsh language and not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English.

Do you think there are opportunities to promote any positive effects?
Do you think there are opportunities to mitigate any adverse effects?

Question 14

In your opinion, could the proposed literacy progression guidance be formulated or changed to:

• have positive effects, or more positive effects, on using the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English
• mitigate any negative effects on using the Welsh language and on not treating the Welsh language less favourably than English

Please use the consultation response form to respond to the above questions. 

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