The many voices in the early years sector raised against enforcing formal phonics instruction for children younger than five appear to have been ignored. Jim Rose's review, which contains much good sense about the importance of rich literacy opportunities for young children and the professional autonomy of teachers, nevertheless advocates class group teaching of synthetic phonics by five. The national curriculum will be altered by the Government accordingly. There is much unhappiness at the implications of this and how it could jeopardise good early years practice by increasing the downward pressure for inappropriate approaches to the Foundation Stage curriculum. Many...