Hard agree. All children can read at this age, with good instruction (in the absence of profound SEN). Anything less than 100% expectation of this, dooms the most disadvantaged to further disadvantage. Terrible, terrible policy, and sad to see so many celebrate it like a victory
It's the fact that the teaching of reading will be withheld until age 6/7 unless children 'show an interest' - this will grow gaps and children will be at wildly different starting points when they do start school - even more than before.