Lifting literacy

The recent national survey of literacy standards by Prof Topping of Dundee University confirms yet again Scotland’s declining literacy standards by comparison to both England and Northern Ireland. The SNP response, which directs a modest amount of funding to some schools, but not others, lacks focus and relevance.

The improvement in England, particularly in relation to decreasing the attainment gap between the more and the less advantaged, is based firmly on resources targeted at the individual children in need and on literacy strategies which work. The Scottish school-based funding system will fail to meet the needs of deprived children who happen to attend schools in more affluent areas.

More critically, however, is the abrogation of responsibility for ensuring that literacy strategies in schools are working. Are we to assume Scottish children are less capable than those in England or Northern Ireland? Absolutely not, so our methods are failing. The SNP response? Nicola Sturgeon has set up the Reading Challenge to encourage reading ,which we are told is “very successful”. Schools have been running programmes like this for years, to little effect. What is required is a radical rethink on how we teach reading and writing, adopting successful methods and abandoning fashionable techniques which have failed so many young people.

Literacy standards have an immense impact on the life chances of individuals and on society as a whole. If this government allows the current approach to literacy to continue we can expect no improvement any time soon. CAROLE FORD Former president School Leaders Scotland Terregles Avenue, Glasgow