MPs write off literacy strategy

The Government's flagship policy for teaching reading has an " unacceptably high" failure rate and needs a fundamental overhaul, MPs warned today.

A fifth of 11-year-olds fail to reach the standard expected and are let down by the national literacy strategy, said the Commons Education Select Committee report.

It recommended a backto- basics method of teaching children.

The Labour-dominated committee's findings will make embarrassing reading for Tony Blair and Education Secretary Ruth Kelly, as they attempt to convince voters that literacy levels have improved since 1997.

The report said part of the improvement in national figures is false as it results from teachers "teaching to the test".