Changes to the way phonics were changed were showing early signs of success

Misleading
Erica Stanford
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Stanford frequently cites 2025 data to support her "early signs of success" claim.

However, the 2026 data covering pupils' first full year under the new phonics-based structured literacy approach showed a different picture. Fewer than half of five-year-olds passed the phonics test, with a pass rate of just 25% among children facing the greatest socio-economic barriers.