'Can do better' call on Highland primary schools as literacy and numeracy performance levels chewed over by education committee
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Highland primary schools have recorded an improved performance in literacy and numeracy – but it’s still short of the national average.
The council’s education committee gave a lukewarm response to the new statistics. While praising the hard work of schools, they said there’s still a long way to go.
Opposition councillors specifically asked how the new attainment strategy will deliver, where others have failed.
Highland education bosses stressed that this is an “improvement journey” and focusing on a small number of top priorities will pay off.
Related: Highland Council ranked worst for literacy and numeracy in P1, P4 and P7
The good news, is the figures appear to be heading in the right direction.
The education committee report shows an improved performance at every level in primary school attainment.
In P1, 64% of pupils are achieving the required level of literacy (up 12%) and 77% in numeracy (up 10%).
In P4, it’s 54% for literacy and 63% for numeracy.
By the end of P7, 59% of pupils are where they should be in literacy, and 67% in numeracy.
However, even the improved figures lag behind the national average. Councillor Helen Crawford highlighted the P7 results in particular.
“I think we ought to be mindful with these uplifted figures,” she said. “If you look at the percentage of those attaining literacy in P7, that’s 59% – I’m not happy with it, I don’t think any of us are happy with it. We need to improve on that. I know that’s the aim and I welcome that, but we must be better. On literacy in P4 we sit at 54%. That’s a sobering statistic.”
Figures from the Local Government Benchmarking Framework in 2020 put the national average at 67% for literacy and 75% for numeracy. At that time, Highland was bottom of the league table with 49% and 60% respectively.
Highland Council has outlined a detailed strategy to boost primary school attainment.
Education bosses say they intend to catch up by next year, and hope to exceed the national average by 2024.
They say the key to improving literacy is through high quality, professional learning throughout the teaching career.
However, councillor Andrew Jarvie says this is nothing new.
“These figures say to me that in general, where Highland sits nationally hasn’t changed. It was only three of four years ago the chief executive said we want to get out of the bottom quartile, where we unfortunately languished, and where we still are. The top quartile was the target. That was said very clearly, and it was meant to be in a matter of years, not three years down the line.
“We have had an attainment action plan every year and I’m not seeing anything that says this is radically turning around education. How is this plan any different?”
Nicky Grant, executive chief officer for education, said the service is now “pursuing fewer things”, arguing that a concerted focus on a small number of set priorities will deliver change.
Meanwhile, education quality officers spoke of the detailed work schools are doing in literacy and numeracy.
Interestingly, educationalists said they are working to make Highland more consistent in how it grades pupils work. Education bosses suggested that there was a tendency to “mark to a higher standard” than other councils, thereby artificially lowering results.
“Teachers are often nervous about giving the highest grades,” said education chairman John Finlayson. “We need to work on their confidence.”
The council is working with schools to improve consistency in how they measure performance. Councillor Alasdair Christie picked up on the anomaly, commenting “Talk about shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Mr Christie suggested that much of the information coming to education committee would ideally be heard at full Highland Council, to ensure members have a full understanding.
“I totally agree,” said chairman Cllr Finlayson. “We need to make sure we do raise the bar. We’re on a journey and hopefully we will be able to accelerate that journey. Categorically, we need to move as fast as we can.”
