Research School Network: The transition ​‘jump’ not ​‘slump’ Navigating the literacy transition from primary to secondary

Transition from primary school to secondary school is often identified as a significant milestone within a child’s journey through the education system. However, many children find this transition difficult, especially alongside adolescence. As children move into Key Stage 3 their engagement decreases, absence rates increase and disadvantaged children often further fall behind. Recent survey data from the Public First inquiry into white working class outcomes also shows that these children are more likely to find the transition to secondary school more difficult than their peers (Public First, 2026).

When looking at outcomes at Key Stage 2, we can begin to understand the scale of the challenge for pupils entering year 7. In reading, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in 2025, up from 74% in 2024. This figure has fluctuated between 72% and 75% since 2017. This is the only subject that has returned and improved on pre-pandemic figures (73% in 2019) but it remains that around a quarter of pupils are leaving primary school without meeting the expected standard. In addition, when interrogating this data further only 63% of disadvantaged pupils met the expected standard in reading compared to 81% for pupils not known to be disadvantaged (DfE, 2025). 

In secondary school students, reading abilities are extremely variable, with a substantial number of pupils showing limited reading abilities that will impede their learning. The work from Ricketts et al (2020) helps us to better understand the nature of reading ability and subsequent implications for teachers and schools. 

This graph below suggests that while average reading ability improves over time (as shown by the upward trend in the lines), the spread of attainment remains very wide. In fact, the range of reading ability in Year 5 overlaps almost completely with that seen in Year 8, and this pattern continues throughout secondary school (Ricketts et al., 2020). As a result, teachers can expect a similar breadth of reading skills and knowledge in both Year 5 and Year 8 classes.

Further to this, whilst there is a common narrative of a ​‘transition slump’ in reading in the transition from primary to secondary school research shows that there is no such slump. Instead, this perception is likely driven by a ​‘jump’ in the challenge that reading brings, and the expectations that young people will read independently. The red line in the graph below shows a hypothetical indication of how the challenge that the curriculum places on reading might increase over time (cf. Deignan et al., 2022). Returning to the Key Stage 2 data that we referenced at the beginning of this blog, we also need to look beyond the headline figures to identify those pupils who just about got by at primary school but these pupils often flounder in secondary school when the demands on their reading are greater.

• Literacy should be identified as a whole school priority.
• Prioritise early transition conversations with primary schools to better understand barriers to learning and approaches that have been successful.
• Schools should expect and proactively plan to support students with the weakest levels of literacy.
• Assessment including diagnostic assessment should be used to match students to appropriate types of intervention. 
• Develop a model of tiered support which increases in intensity. 
• Ensure robust monitoring and evaluation of interventions. 
• Prioritise professional development to ensure teachers have the capacity, confidence and strategies to support all students within subject specific teaching.
• Emsure staff have information about students in their class who might have reading needs. 

The list above provides a broad overview of key elements, the Key Stage 2 and Secondary Literacy Guidance Reports and accompanying resources provide further detail and exemplification.

Pupils that face barriers to reading often become the victim of a vicious cycle in that they are less likely to find enjoyment in reading, therefore they engage in less practice limiting the development of automaticity and vocabulary growth. As reading feels unpleasant this may lead to a more negative attitude towards reading, the academic elements of schooling and their relationship with the curriculum, particularly when engaging with subjects with higher reading demands.; more limited experience of success may cause them to give up more quickly. It is also important to recognise the impact that this can have on a pupil’s relationship with self, notably their self esteem and also their relationship with peers. Where a learner may feel embarrassed about their reading ability, they may prefer to give up or mask their barriers through actions intended to shift attention. (EEF, 2019)

For pupils that enter an intervention pathway at secondary school, it is very likely that they have been accessing interventions throughout their primary education. As such, we might ask ourselves what it feels like to be a Year 7 or Year 8 pupil that is still accessing a literacy based intervention including Phonics? How can we develop feelings of self efficacy? How can we recognise and celebrate progress in a way that fits with their customary evaluation of self?

Alongside explicit support with reading, this also requires us as teachers to understand how individual learners are experiencing and interpreting the learning environment.

References:

Clark, C., Picton, I. and Ricketts, J. (2023) Reading in secondary students: What do we know? London: National Literacy Trust. Available at: https://nlt.hacdn.org/media/documents/Reading_in_Secondary_School_final.pdf