Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Strong standings in league by schools
Scotland’s most improved primary schools have been revealed in a new league table.
And it’s good news for 13 Lanarkshire schools who have risen up the rankings.
The Times’ Primary School League Tables has shown the improvements that primary schools have made since 2019.
It was able to pin the most improved schools by collecting data from the Scottish Government website, which looks into the rates of reading, writing, numeracy and listening and talking over the past year – with a score out of 400 given.
Comparisons were then made between the figures recorded in 2021 with those reported in 2019.
In North Lanarkshire, three schools – Ravenswood in Cumbernauld, St Ignatius in Wishaw and Dykehead in Shotts – were in the top 10 of most improved schools.
Other schools in the top 50 were Greenhill in Coatbridge, Airdrie’s Golfhill, St Patrick’s in New Stevenston, Lawmuir in Bellshill and Aitkenhead in Uddingston.
North Lanarkshire Council’s convener of education and families, Councillor Frank Mcnally, said the results showed schools in the area had continued to make “good progress” in terms of improving learners’ attainment levels despite the impact of the pandemic.
He added: “Although our data indicates there has been a slight drop in combined percentage points, in terms of the proportion of children reaching the expected levels in literacy and numeracy compared to two years ago, North Lanarkshire Council attainment levels are still higher than the national average in literacy and numeracy.
“The universal offer available through our digital school enabled children and young people to access education and learning at any time throughout the pandemic.
“Identified pupils also had the opportunity, in line with Covid regulations, to attend learning environments to access direct teaching.
“We are very proud of the achievement of our pupils and the hard work carried out by staff, particularly over the past two years during the pandemic, which has impacted on learning.
“While achievements in core learning activities such as reading, writing, listening and talking and numeracy are positive, and we are pleased so many of our schools meet the required levels, league tables do not reflect the true picture of learning and achievement in our establishments.
“We use this data to enable us to identify support needs for particular individuals or classes while reaffirming progress made in others and there are a range of other factors that contribute to a child’s achievements in learning.”
In South Lanarkshire, five schools made the top 50.
They were St Athanasius in Carluke, Heathery Knowe and South Park primaries in East Kilbride, Law Primary and Woodhead in Hamilton.