There have been few areas in England over the last 50 years where government has drawn more heavily on research to inform policy and practice than in the area of teaching reading. The focus of this article is an analysis of the research and evidence on early reading, in particular the role of phonics, on which government policy in England and the practice it promotes, are based. The article has three parts. The first examines the major policy initiatives in teaching reading from the Plowden Report in 1967 to the present day and provides an overview of their implications for practice. It highlights the tensions between opposing sides in the 'reading wars' between those prioritising phonics first, fast and only, versus those promoting a whole language approach to teaching reading. The second examines the evidence on which the government has drawn and the way in which teaching reading has become increasingly politicised in England to promote specific practices, some of which, but not all, are underpinned by research. Part 3 introduces instructional psychology that provides an alternative perspective on teaching phonics, whole language and the reading wars. The approaches to teaching reading generated by instructional psychology will be summarised and research presented to demonstrate how, despite the rhetoric surrounding the positive impact of current government policy on teaching reading, it is potentially a major cause of reading difficulties. Part 3 ends by highlighting the implications of instructional psychology for future policy and practice.