EDUCATION: Some young people are leaving school struggling to read and write

By Bill Heaney

Are reading and writing skills amongst young people leaving school as bad as they are made out to be?

Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy told the Scottish Parliament this week that some young people are leaving school struggling to read.

However, the Deputy First Minister Shona Robison didn’t answer her question directly, but told her: “It is important to look at the facts, which are that pass rates this year for English national 5, higher and advanced higher are the same as, or higher than, pass rates in 2019, or before the pandemic.

“The programme for international student assessment 2018 reading results, which looked at the reading abilities of 15-year-olds, confirmed that Scotland was above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average and that 82 per cent of pupils who left school in 2021-22 had achieved Scottish credit and qualifications framework level 5 or above in literacy.

“Clearly, any young person leaving school struggling to read is unacceptable, but the evidence shows that our young people are continuing to achieve well in literacy and English, and their achievements should not be downplayed at all. We should be celebrating them.”

She did not, however, quantify the number of pupils leaving school without literacy skills.

Pam Duncan-Glancy told her: “I agree that reading and writing are fundamental to the future and to unlocking a young person’s potential, but I am really worried about that response, because one in three children in Scotland are struggling to read.

Labour spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy and Deputy First Minister Shona Robison.

“The Educational Institute of Scotland says that early years teachers are reporting an increase in the number of children presenting in primary 1 with delayed development and poorer minimal speech and language skills. Moreover, the national primary school literacy attainment gap has grown to its highest since 2018.

“The Deputy First Minister will also be aware of reports over the weekend highlighting concerns from Scottish teachers that students are leaving secondary school functionally unable to read—a situation that former teacher Anne Glennie has described as “unforgivable”.

“Does the Deputy First Minister recognise that this is a growing problem, and will she set out what the Government intends to do about it?”

Shona Robison replied: “There has obviously been an impact from the pandemic on the development of many children’s speech and language, in particular. We understand that, which is why it is important to ensure that supports are in place to help those young people catch up on the developmental skills that they require.

“On results, as I said in my earlier answer, this year’s pass rates for national 5s, highers and advanced highers in English are the same as, or higher than, those for 2019, which was before the pandemic, so we are talking about slightly different things.

“I acknowledge absolutely Ms Duncan-Glancy’s point about developmental needs, including, importantly, speech and language therapy.

“However, we should not talk down the results of our young people, which in the circumstances are very good indeed, and we should congratulate them on achieving them.”

Tory MSP Roz McCall said: “It is very challenging to deliver good outcomes for children who leave secondary school struggling to read if we do not address literacy in early years and primary. The latest statistics show that one in five primary 1 pupils failed to achieve the expected level in reading. I note the Deputy First Minister’s comments about Covid.

“However, as it is her job, and that of the Scottish Government, to deal with the after-effects of the pandemic, where is the appropriate investment in our schools to ensure that no child is left behind, as per the Government’s Promise?”

Shona Robison told her: “Well, not a penny of investment for schools was given in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s autumn statement—not one penny. They have demanded—that I follow Tory spending plans, as set out in the chancellor’s autumn statement. If I were to do so, it would mean not a penny of extra investment in our schools or public services, apart from the £10.8 million for the national health service, which is a drop in the ocean.

“The Scottish Government will not follow Tory spending plans, because we recognise the need to invest in our schools, our hospitals and our police service. We will set out our budget plans on 19 December, but they certainly will not replicate the reckless disinvestment in public services that we see from the Tory UK Government, supported by members on the Conservative benches here.”