A new analysis by the Fischer Family Trust (FFT) reveals that a third of disadvantaged white pupils in England leave primary school unable to read well enough to access the secondary curriculum. This reading deficiency leads to disengagement and increased school absence, according to the research.
Key Findings from FFT Reading Fluency Assessments
The findings were drawn from over one million FFT reading fluency assessments involving 231,000 pupils in 1,570 schools between September 2023 and June 2026. The assessment requires pupils to read a short passage appropriate to their reading ability for one minute. Pupils reading below 90 words correct per minute (WCPM) in year 6 typically have reading fluency comparable to the average year 3 pupil.
By the end of year 6, 33% of white disadvantaged pupils read below 90 WCPM, compared with 20% of non-disadvantaged pupils. The gap in reading fluency between white disadvantaged pupils and their wealthier peers does not decrease during primary school.
Impact on Secondary Education
Without adequate reading fluency, pupils struggle to keep up with the secondary curriculum and quickly become disengaged, often leading to school absence. Paul Charman, managing director of FFT, stated: “A third of white disadvantaged pupils are leaving primary school without secure reading fluency. This should concern anyone interested in improving educational outcomes and narrowing disadvantage gaps. Reading fluency is fundamental to success in school. When pupils can read accurately and confidently, they are better able to access the full curriculum and engage successfully with learning across all subjects. When they can’t, it is no wonder that they become disengaged and increasingly absent from education.”
Broader Context and Expert Reactions
The findings come days after an independent inquiry into white working-class educational outcomes concluded that the current education system is “not set up to serve white working-class children and families.” The inquiry was commissioned by a schools academy trust and backed by the Department for Education.
James Bowen, assistant general secretary at the NAHT school leaders’ union, noted that the gap in reading fluency emerges long before children start school. “We see that reflected in the difference in children’s vocabulary by the age of five. This is not a new problem, but it has proven a stubbornly difficult one to solve. A renewed focus on supporting reading for disadvantaged children would be welcome, but that must start in the early years and include a strong focus on supporting families too.”
Hamid Patel, CEO of Star Academies and co-chair of the inquiry, said: “These findings reinforce the inquiry’s call for a renewed national focus on reading fluency, from primary through into the early years of secondary. If we get this right, we give pupils a genuine chance to succeed; if we do not, the consequences are long-lasting.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson commented on the inquiry report: “I know, more than most, that change will not come overnight, but for the first time in a long time, white working-class children have a government that will fight for them.”
