Adnodd response to the Welsh Government’s foundational literacy and numeracy plan
Adnodd welcomes the publication of the Welsh Government’s foundational literacy and numeracy plan (the Plan). We look forward to playing our part in delivering its ambitions and working with partners across the education system and beyond – including with suppliers, publishers and national bodies - to improve outcomes for children and young people in Wales.
Collaboration and evidence
We will support the Plan in three connected ways: by working with partners, understanding the needs of learners and practitioners, and building the evidence needed to improve outcomes. Together, these actions help create a more joined-up approach to developing and commissioning high-quality resources, supporting the workforce, and improving learning across Wales.
Literacy resources review
One of the key recommendations from our recent independent review of literacy programmes and resources in Wales is the need for a more coherent national approach to literacy and reading for pleasure. We will work closely with the Welsh Government and partners, including Dysgu, Estyn, the National Centre for Learning Welsh (the Athrofa from August 2027 onwards) and CAL:ON, to take forward the review’s recommendations and strengthen support for learners across Wales.
Our review also highlighted the need to promote reading for pleasure, improve Welsh-medium and bilingual provision, support learners with additional learning needs, expand provision for secondary learners, provide practical guidance for practitioners, and strengthen family involvement. They also highlight the importance of ensuring all learners can access high-quality resources, and the need for stronger evidence and evaluation to inform future investment.
Literacy – next steps
Our literacy review found that the provision of Welsh-language phonics should meet the needs of learners at different stages of their literacy journey. Through our supplier Framework, we will undertake an analysis of current Welsh-language phonics resources and commission opportunities for further development.
We continue to invest in resources that support learners with additional learning needs. We have invested more than £560,000 through the Books Council of Wales and the Welsh publishing sector to develop Llyfrau Llamu, a new Welsh-language guided reading scheme that will be published in spring 2027.
Through our investment in the RNIB, 40 multi-format titles, including large print and braille editions, will also be published in November this year. These resources will support teenagers with visual impairments and those who have experienced sight loss during their teenage years.
We will also bring together partners from education, publishing and culture to develop ambitious and collaborative approaches to strengthening literacy resources across Wales. By combining expertise from across sectors, we can help ensure that learners have access to the resources and opportunities they need to become confident, capable and lifelong readers.
Numeracy – next steps
Our immediate action is to appoint a maths and numeracy expert to advise on priorities, stakeholder recommendations, research activity and future investment opportunities.
We will also undertake a national review of mathematics and numeracy resources. The review will identify strengths, areas for development and future priorities, helping to build a clearer picture of the support that learners and practitioners need.
Alongside this work, we will develop a suite of bilingual numeracy anchor tasks. These resources will help strengthen mathematical reasoning, enquiry and problem-solving skills, while supporting consistent approaches to learning and teaching across Wales.
Details of our autumn commissioning opportunities can be found here.
Updates on our recently commissioned projects can be found here.