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Every School a Good School
A strategy for raising achievement
in literacy and numeracy
June 2008
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A strategy for raising achievement in literacy and numeracy i
Foreword
While standards are high in many schools here, there are still far too many children who
struggle with reading, writing and using mathematics and too many young people wholeave school still lacking in skills and confidence in these areas. Too often, these are
young people who are already contending with other barriers to education, including
socially disadvantaged backgrounds, those with additional educational needs or those
whose first language is not English. We know that, as a general rule, such pupils do less
well than their peers and we are determined to take action to make sure that they, and
indeed all pupils, have the chance to succeed and to reach their full potential.
No child should move into her or his teenage years, and on into adulthood, unable to read,
write or work with numbers. Without these fundamental skills, our young people are too
often denied the opportunity to move on to further and higher education or to find well
paid jobs. They are also at much greater risk of social exclusion.
If we want to see improvements in literacy and numeracy, we need to reform radically
our current education system, removing the inequities that exist. We cannot deliver the
improvements we need if we continue with a system that deems some children suitable
for some schools while telling others that they are not suitable. We cannot expect to
foster a love of reading and a confidence with numbers if we are telling young people
at the age of ten or eleven that they are failures. We cannot perpetuate a system that
provides opportunities for some while locking down chances for far too many young
people.
This strategy therefore sets out an approach that is designed to support teachers in raising
levels of achievement in literacy and numeracy in a system where, in primary schools,
they will not be asked to skew their teaching to the needs of an inequitable transfer test
but rather will be able to give their full attention to the revised curriculum which, of
course, has literacy and numeracy at its heart. In post-primary schools, my intention is
that teachers can focus on what they do best – professional, enthusiastic and reflective
teaching that meets the needs and nurtures the aspirations of their pupils – and that theycan do this in a context which values and promotes academic excellence as well as more
applied pathways and which makes learning relevant to their pupils. My decision to end
the unfair system of academic selection and to move to a system where the needs and
aspirations of the child are put at the centre and before the traditional requirements of
the school is, I believe, necessary if we are not just to nurture achievement at the higher
levels but also support and facilitate every child to reach her or his full potential.
This strategy aims to reflect and build on the work that many excellent and committed
teachers are already doing in many classrooms across the north and to ensure that every
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child in every classroom is receiving that same high quality teaching. It has at its heart
a realisation that it is, first and foremost, through good teaching approaches by teachers
who are confident professionals, supported by their school leaders, by parents and by
the education service as a whole that will deliver the improvements in literacy and
numeracy that we all want to see. It recognises also the need for better opportunities for
professional development and support and for sharing and celebrating good practice. This
is not about new initiatives or new ways of doing things – rather it is about new ways of
sharing and learning from the good work that already goes on in many schools and that,
if applied more widely, can support every child in becoming confident and competent in
reading, writing, communication and mathematics by the time they leave school. The
strategy is complemented by a major review of special educational needs, the outcome of
which will be published for consultation later this year.
I also want to recognise at the outset that this is a draft strategy that aims to tackleunderachievement in literacy and numeracy as taught through the medium of English.
While much of the evidence that underpins it, and elements of the direction it proposes,
will be relevant to the teaching of literacy and numeracy through Irish, there are
other dimensions that apply in that context. It would not be appropriate to ask the
Irish-medium sector to accept and implement a strategy that does not reflect those
added dimensions. Rather, we will start work with the sector to develop a complementary
approach that builds on the work in this document but more appropriately reflects and
supports its needs.
This strategy will be supported with additional resources, which come on top of the verysizeable budgets that schools themselves hold. Importantly, once finalised, our progress
in implementation and in using the resources allocated to support will be overseen by an
externally-appointed Literacy and Numeracy Taskforce which will support and challenge
our progress in turning the vision it contains into practice in every classroom.
Finally, the strategy is informed by evidence and good practice at local, national and
international level – but we know that there will be further scope for improvement. That
is why it is important that everyone with an interest in education reads it and, as part
of the consultation period that is now underway, responds with their thoughts on theproposed approach and their ideas for improvement. I particularly want to hear from
teachers – I know that, as reflective practitioners, they will have particular comment
on the extent to which the thinking in this consultation document reflects their own
experience of what works in their classroom. I look forward to hearing your views.
CAITRÍONA RUANE MLAMinister for Education
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A strategy for raising achievement in literacy and numeracy iii
CONTENTS
Page
Part 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1
Part 2 Context .............................................................................................................. 7
Part 3 Findings from Research, Inspection and Other Related Material ..... 13
Part 4 The Literacy and Numeracy Strategy: A Way Forward ........................ 17
Part 5 Data and Target Setting Framework ......................................................... 27
Part 6 Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................ 31
Part 7 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 41
Annex 1 Key Performance Data ................................................................................... 43
Annex 2 Targets for Improvement in Literacy and Numeracy ............................ 44
Annex 3 Findings from Research, Inspection and Other Related Material ..... 44
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A strategy for raising achievement in literacy and numeracy 1
Part 1 - Introduction
1.1 Previous whole-school and other initiatives here have not succeeded sufficiently
in bringing about the level of improvement in standards of attainment in literacyand numeracy that we all want to see, especially for lower-attaining pupils and
notably in areas of high social and economic disadvantage. Furthermore, an
unacceptable gap remains between the highest and lowest achieving pupils.
1.2 That gap is contributed to and compounded by a system that is deeply
inequitable and one which must be changed. The intention is that the revised
strategy for delivering improvements in literacy and numeracy will be rolled out
in a much reformed educational landscape. As things stand, there are simply too
many impediments to the success of too many children.
1.3 The revised curriculum provides a unique opportunity for the learning and
teaching of literacy and numeracy in primary schools to take place in a way and
at a pace that suits the needs of individual children. Teachers as professionals
readily recognise their responsibility to ensure that children are afforded an
opportunity to excel and fulfil their basic potential and it is self evident that
literacy and numeracy are the basic tools of learning. This cannot sit alongside
a system that tests and separates children at the age of ten or eleven, opening
up opportunities for some but closing them down for too many others. We also
need to recognise the challenges that non-selective post-primary schools face –
it cannot be right that they carry the burden of demographic decline leading to
a narrow range of abilities. Too often, their first task is to raise the self-esteem
and self-confidence of pupils who have experienced failure and to build
their expectations and aspirations. Even against that backdrop, many deliver
outstanding performance but others do not and the challenge is, in many cases,
simply too great.
1.4 There is no “equality argument” for a selective system that has seen too
many children deemed as failures, and that fails a disproportionate numberof children from disadvantaged backgrounds. In terms of gaining access
to grammar education, children from low income families have less than
half the chance of children from more affluent backgrounds. Children from
disadvantaged backgrounds are also disproportionately likely to receive their
post-primary education in the non-selective sector which, as noted above, is
almost exclusively bearing the impact of demographic decline and the associated
challenges of sustainability and shrinking educational environments or in the
case of a large proportion of Traveller children, opting out completely. It is
little wonder if attainment suffers in educational environments that are being
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gradually deserted and are concentrations of social disadvantage: the 2006
NIAO report showed that in non-selective schools in Belfast, for instance, 2 out
of every 3 14-year-old boys and one third of girls do not achieve the required
literacy levels. For Travellers, the outcomes are also a concern with 9 out of ten
traveller children not achieving the required literacy levels.
1.5 Research1 produced by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development) argues that education systems should, ‘Limit early tracking
and streaming and postpone academic selection’ and that ‘Academic selection
needs to be used with caution since it poses risks to equity.’ This is based on the
following evidence:
Secondary school systems with large social differences between schools
tend on average to have poorer results in mathematics and reading anda greater spread of reading outcomes. Social background is more of an
obstacle to educational success than in systems where there are not large
socio-economic differences between schools;
Academic selection by school systems is associated with great social
differences between schools and a stronger effect of socio-economic
status on performance, but also with a stronger performance at the top
end of the scale in mathematics and science; and
Evidence on secondary students from PISA (OECD’s Programme forInternational Student Assessment) compared to evidence at primary level
from PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and evidence
from countries which have introduced comprehensive schooling suggest
that early tracking is associated with reduced equity in outcomes and
sometimes weakens results overall.
1.6 The Department is establishing a committee for the education of Traveller
children with statutory and voluntary partners. The committee will make
recommendations on Traveller education and also assist the Department indeveloping an action plan. An inter-board strategy group has been established
by the Education & Library Boards to develop a more co-ordinated approach and
has produced a draft strategy to work towards achieving this and will be working
closely with the committee for the education of Traveller children.
1 OECD: ‘No More Failures: Ten Steps to Equity in Education’;http://www.oecd.org/document/54/0,3343,en_2649_201185_39676214_1_1_1_1,00.html
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A strategy for raising achievement in literacy and numeracy 3
In the south of Ireland, a National Traveller Monitoring Advisory Committee has been established to look at a range of issues affecting Travellers. A sub-group
focussed on education and employment issues currently operates under the
Advisory Committee.
1.7 The challenge in developing a revised strategy for literacy and numeracy is to
ensure that it reflects the difficulties and inequities that are inherent in our
current system and is designed to be rolled out in a much fairer, more equitable
system, particularly in the post-primary sector. The real challenge, of course,
is not to present in vogue initiatives but rather to reflect a robust evidence
base. That evidence base points to good practice interventions that are already
in place in many schools here and the strategy seeks to recognise and build on
these and to encourage, support and resource their implementation and their
dissemination.
1.8 Part of the reality check must be the recognition that, despite the significant
strengths evident in the current educational system, there are real pockets of
underachievement, with levels of literacy and numeracy particularly worrying
in those areas most affected by the impact and the aftermath of the conflict
over the past four decades, and by significant levels of social and economic
disadvantage. There are also particular barriers for children from minority ethnic
groups, particularly those whose first language is not English, and for Traveller
children that need to be recognised and overcome.
1.9 This is not to suggest that a strategy to improve literacy and numeracy
standards should address only the needs of lower-attaining young people and
of disadvantaged communities. It does, however, point to the need for targeted
and supportive action to support those most at risk of underachievement as
well as for action designed to maintain and improve achievement in literacy and
numeracy so that all young people can leave school prepared for adulthood and
well-placed to interact with and make a positive contribution to society and the
economy. While academic attainment, including the achievement of standardsof literacy and numeracy, is only one facet of educational success, it is central to
the future prospects and quality of life of every learner.
1.10 The extent to which those lacking in literacy and numeracy competence remedy
their difficulties is problematic. Poor levels of attainment in reading and
writing at primary school are associated strongly with later low achievement.
Many young people do not appreciate the value of mathematics or acquire
the numeracy skills needed to function effectively in society. Put simply, far
too many young people leave primary and post-primary education lacking
competence and confidence in these essential skills. Their particular literacy
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and numeracy problems increase as they pass into and through training or
further education and often remain largely unresolved, contributing to social
exclusion. We want to make sure that a revised strategy promotes more positive
attitudes to literacy and numeracy, and rigorously addresses under-achievement.
In particular we want to make sure that pupils are not inadvertently given a
sense that mathematics is difficult and obscure. We need to promote a positive
attitude to both literacy and numeracy that will help build pupil confidence.
1.11 Society is changing rapidly and, for the local economy to flourish, its workforce
needs skills that will help it to compete internationally and to make best use
of emerging technologies. It is increasingly important therefore that there is a
literate and numerate population capable of taking advantage of opportunities in
science and technology, and in the financial and business worlds. In particular,
the development of a proportion of the workforce that have the highest levelsof numeracy is vital for the future innovation and creativity that are at the
foundation of what is commonly called a “knowledge economy”.
1.12 If we are to give all our young people the best opportunity to succeed in life and
in work, we need to revisit the learning and teaching of reading, writing and
mathematics and to set out, for teachers, schools, education support bodies, and
parents and young people, how we think standards can be improved. This draft
strategy aims to do that and, once implemented, to deliver improvements that
will make a real difference for individual young people, for their communities,and for the wider economy and society.
1.13 The strategy focuses on the teaching of literacy and numeracy in English-medium
schools. While much of it will also be relevant to the teaching of these subjects,
and of course of Irish in the Irish-medium sector there are added dimensions to
the teaching of literacy and numeracy in bilingual contexts that require further
work. We will therefore be reviewing separately the particular needs of the
Irish-medium sector in relation to literacy and numeracy rather than expecting
it, as is too often the case, simply to adopt and adapt an English based strategy.As part of that same process, we are already working to improve access to
assessment tools specifically tailored for Irish-medium schools. Schools in the
Irish-medium sector are however, encouraged to consider carefully the evidence
and approaches set out in this document and adopt them where they consider
would be helpful.
1.14 It is important to recognise too that work to improve literacy and numeracy
does not sit in isolation from other education reforms and policy developments.
The links with the revised curriculum, the end of selection and the focus on
school improvement generally are all directly complementary to that work.
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A strategy for raising achievement in literacy and numeracy 5
So too, though, are other strands. Young people who are being bullied, who
are vulnerable or at risk, or who are parents themselves will not thrive if
they do not feel supported by strong pastoral care systems. Equally, teachers
need to feel that their professionalism is being recognised, that their work is
valued and supported and that the development opportunities provided for
them are relevant, accessible and high quality. In short, the interlinkages and
interdependencies across the full range of education policy areas are complex as
figure 1 overleaf illustrates.
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DE Vision
To ensure that every learner fulfilshis or her full potential at each
stage of their development.
Tackling Inequality andDisadvantageTransfer Policy
Literacy and Numeracy Policy
Review of SEN & Inclusion Policy
Review of AEP Policy
Extended Schools Programme
Review of Irish Medium Education
Early Years Strategy
English as an additional language
policy
School Age Mothers’ Programme
Effective, Democratic SchoolsLiteracy and numeracy
School improvement
Inspection arrangements
New assessment arrangements
Improved availability and access to data
Specialist Schools
Sport and Language Policy
Thriving school councils
Effective use of ICT to support learning
Successful LearnersEmpowered young people whose
voice is heardRevised Curriculum
Entitlement Framework
Review of Teacher Education
Promoting Health and Well-being
Counselling
Youth Policy
Strong, Effective LeadershipReview of school leadership provision
Teacher Education Review
Strong professional development
services
Effective PRSD systems
Enhanced training and support for
school governors
Figure 1
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A strategy for raising achievement in literacy and numeracy 7
Part 2 - Context
2.1 This revised strategy is intended to build upon the strengths, and address the
areas for improvement, of the literacy and numeracy programme introduced bythe Department of Education (DE) in February 1998 and implemented by the
Education and Library Boards (ELBs).
Standards of attainment in literacy and numeracy: an ongoing challenge
2.2 In 1998, the then strategy for the promotion of literacy and numeracy in
schools here2 identified clearly and appropriately the need in every school for
well-defined literacy and numeracy policies and highlighted the importance of
early intervention and classroom practice that addressed “directly the quality
of teachers’ interactions with pupils ”. It drew attention to the importance
of Reading Recovery, to the leadership of senior management and to links
with parents. The crucial role of the literacy co-ordinator and the numeracy
co-ordinator was identified and explained.
2.3 In addition, the strategy noted that insufficient use was made of school
performance information and the outcomes of diagnostic testing to influence
future teaching approaches and remediation strategies. In advocating the need
for the more systematic use of data, the strategy recommended the setting of
targets and the need for benchmarked data cross-referenced to free school meals
bands and disaggregated data for boys and girls. It also emphasised the need
for a stronger focus on literacy and numeracy in initial teacher training and in
continuing professional development.
2.4 In short, many of the key elements necessary for the successful implementation
of a literacy and numeracy improvement programme were contained in the 1998
strategy. The strategy also led to improvements, notably by higher-attaining
pupils. Despite this, it did not impact sufficiently to raise the overall attainment
in literacy and numeracy, particularly for the underachieving pupils.
2.5 Some of the reasons for this were identified in an evaluation of the literacy
strategy3 commissioned by the Literacy Steering Group in 2003-2004 which
highlighted several areas for improvement, including the need to:
develop teaching strategies to cater better for the lowest-achieving pupils;
2 A Strategy for the Promotion of Literacy and Numeracy in Primary and Secondary Schools in Northern
Ireland (DE 1998)3 An Evaluation of the Northern Ireland Literacy Strategy 1998-2002 (DE 2003-4)
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respond more effectively to individual difference, especially in composite
classes in small primary schools;
devise strategies to promote shared, modelled, guided reading and writing;
improve the contribution of information and communication technology
(ICT) to the development of literacy and numeracy;
improve action planning and target-setting;
increase the emphasis given to literacy and numeracy in development
planning in schools;
improve monitoring and evaluation at all levels;
increase parental involvement; and
improve the dissemination of good practice within and across schools.
The findings of NIAO and PAC
2.6 The limited success of the 1998 programme to bring about a substantial
improvement in literacy and numeracy standards across all ability groups was
the subject of considerable criticism in the reports by the Northern Ireland Audit
Office (NIAO), Improving Literacy and Numeracy in Schools (2006) and by the
House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts (PAC), Improving Literacy andNumeracy in Schools [Northern Ireland] (2006). These reports highlighted the
urgent need for the further improvement of literacy and numeracy standards.
2.7 In its evaluation of DE’s 1998 strategy for the promotion of literacy and
numeracy in schools, the report by the NIAO concluded that improving standards
in literacy and numeracy remains a major challenge for schools.
The current position
2.8 The 2006 Programme for International Student Achievement revealed that:
having previously performed significantly above the average in both
reading and mathematical literacy, we are now at the OECD average (in
2003 it was significantly above);
only 7 countries had a wider distribution of reading ability.
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2.9 The performance data presented in Annex 1 shows that while performance
improved in the period 1998-2007, it has now plateaued.
Key Stage 2
2.10 At Key Stage 2 the percentage of pupils not at the expected level in English
has reduced from 27.2% in 2001 to 22% in 2006. While the improvement
is noteworthy it still means that some 5000 pupils are entering post-primary
education with literacy skills below the level expected. In mathematics the
percentage of pupils not at the expected level has reduced from 26.1% to 20.5%
in 2006 but here again some 4700 pupils are entering post-primary education
with mathematical skills below the level expected. There is a difference
between the performance of boys and girls in 2006/07 with some 26.5% of boys
performing below the expected level in English compared to 17.2% of girls. Inmathematics the gap is not so pronounced with 22.1% compared to 18.9%.
2.11 There is a substantial body of research confirming the correlation between social
disadvantage and educational performance. Free school meal entitlement (FSME)
is regarded as the best available indicator for social disadvantage in our schools
yet when we compare the performance of schools there are marked differences
in terms of performance, even among schools with similar percentages of
pupils with FSME enrolled. There are many examples where the gap in terms of
percentages of pupils at the expected level in either English or Mathematics canbe as wide as 60 percentage points.
At Key Stage 3
2.12 At Key Stage 3 Teacher Assessments indicate that4 the percentage of pupils
failing to achieve the expected level remains at 21.8% in English and increases
to 25.6% in mathematics. In gender terms, some 28.1% of boys are below the
expected level in English compared to 15.2% of girls. In mathematics the gap
narrows to 5.3 percentage points with some 28.2% of boys below the expectedlevel and 22.9% of girls. This level of underachievement presents real challenges
for boys. Underachievement is also a real concern for girls, many of whom
will go on to face so many other barriers in their adult life. In non-selective
post primary schools the overall gap in performance between schools of similar
socio-economic profiles is often as wide as 40 percentage points.
4 Until 2006/07, Key Stage 3 levels were assigned through a combination of moderated tests and teacher
assessments. From that time the moderated tests ceased to be compulsory. Therefore, to ensureconsistency, the data used here is based solely on the teacher assessments.
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2.13 In post-primary schools, therefore, there is particular concern over the standards
of attainment in literacy in the non-selective sector and a gap in relation to
the performance of boys compared to that of girls. In BELB, for example, some
54.6% of boys in non-selective schools in 2006-2007 did not achieve level 5
or better compared to some 25.2% of girls. There was evidence also at KS3 of
considerable variations in standards of literacy in non-selective schools across
the Education and Library Boards. The table below outlines the results for each
Education and Library Board:
Pupils at expected level in Key Stage Assessments 2006/07
Belfast Western North East South East Southern
KS2 English
(Level 4 and
above)
69.7% 77.2% 79.6% 81.6% 79.3%
KS2 Maths
(Level 4 and
above)
72.2% 77.9% 81% 82% 81.3%
KS3 English
(all schools)
(Level 5 and
above)
80.2% 75.5% 77.3% 75% 82.3%
KS3 Maths
(all schools)
(Level 5 and
above)
75.3% 74.2% 74.1% 73.3%
75.2%
KS3 English
(non-
selective)
(Level 5 and
above)
61.1% 62% 64% 61.4% 76.4%
KS3 Maths(non-
selective)
(Level 5 and
above)
51% 59.3% 58.9% 58.7% 66.9%
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GCSE or equivalent
2.14 While important in terms of providing valuable information in terms of individual
pupils and schools, Key Stage Assessments are not in themselves a qualification
and it is therefore GCSE that is the key outcome. In 2006/07:
63% of pupils obtained a GCSE English Grades A* - C
90% of pupils obtained a GCSE English A* - G
59% of pupils obtained a GCSE Maths Grades A*-C
89% of pupils obtained a GCSE Maths Grades A*-G
2.15 While a pass at GCSE below Grade C in English and/or mathematics confirms acompetence in literacy and numeracy a pupil will have nonetheless some aspects
of basic skills which require further development. It is at Grades A*-C at which
an average pupil can be described as having the expected levels of functional
skills in these subjects. It is therefore a matter of some concern that some 37%
of pupils fail to achieve a grade A*-C in GCSE English; 41% in mathematics and
47% fail to achieve an A*-C in both English and mathematics.
Wider Context
2.16 This strategy does not sit in isolation from other aspects of education policy and
it therefore has been developed in the context of ‘Every School a Good School’,
the draft new school improvement policy; the revised school curriculum and is
designed to support developments that are taking place in relation to extended
schools, specialist schools, teacher education, the review of Special Educational
Needs & Inclusion; the draft Sustainable Schools policy; Travellers in education
initiatives; and the transformation being undertaken within the education system
post 11 plus.
2.17 In terms of cross departmental initiatives this strategy has been informed by
the Department for Employment and Learning’s ‘Essential Skills Strategy’, in
particular the joint work with DE on improving family literacy.
2.18 The pivotal role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
education and skills development is a rapidly changing and competitive economic
environment which cannot be under-estimated. We can no longer rely on our
traditional industries for economic security and must therefore ensure that our
young people are qualified, literate and numerate and able to contribute to
society and the economy.
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Part 3 - Findings from Research, Inspectionand Other Related Material
3.1 This strategy has been informed by good practice already in existence in manyschools and reported through inspections and wider survey work carried out by
the Education and Training Inspectorate. As with all good policies, it is rooted
in a robust evidence base, with its proposed approach influenced by relevant
national and local research, including some research specifically carried out to
inform its development.
3.2 Annex 3 sets out in more detail the research and other work that has been
instrumental in informing the approach contained in Part 3. In summary, it
includes the following:
The findings of the review of the 1998 literacy strategy5 which proposed
a more targeted allocation of resources in favour of children and schools in
socially deprived areas and highlighted the positive contribution of Reading
Recovery as an effective mechanism in improving standards in literacy;
The report from the review of the 1998 numeracy strategy6 which
highlighted the need for teachers to have suitable initial and subsequent
training, as well as sound subject-specific knowledge and recommended
that pupils should experience a wider and more challenging range of learning opportunities, including mental calculation in a range of contexts,
tasks requiring strategic thinking, higher-order questioning, collaborative
problem-solving, and increased use of ICT;
The findings of the Education and Training Inspectorate’s recentevaluation of the mathematics provision in post-primary schools7
which concludes that the teaching is most effective when it is interactive
and contingent on the pupils’ responses, includes collaborative activities,
encourages discussion, involves problem-solving and investigative work,
and links the learning with other subjects, including the use of authentic
problems;
The findings from research on the use of phonics in raising standardsin literacy carried out by Jim Rose (Department for Education and Skills,
2006) which highlighted the significant role that phonics played in helping
5 An Evaluation of the Northern Ireland Literacy Strategy 1998-2002 (DE 2003-4)
6 An evaluation of the Northern Ireland Numeracy Strategy 1998 – 2002 (DE 2003-04)
7 Better Mathematics – Evaluation and Prompts for Self-evaluation and Improvement in Post-primarySchools 2006
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beginning readers to acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding
that enable them to become more competent and confident in reading.
The report states, “the indications are that far more attention needs to
be given, right from the start, to promoting speaking and listening skills
to make sure that children build a good stock of words, learn to listen
attentively and speak clearly and confidently. Speaking and listening,
together with reading and writing, are prime communication skills that
are central to children’s intellectual, social and emotional development.
All these skills are drawn upon and promoted by high quality, systematic
phonic work.” The report also emphasised the primacy of “quality first
teaching” within the classroom;
The work undertaken by the Belfast Education and Library Board to develop
a linguistic phonics programme designed to complement the revisedcurriculum and the findings of the evaluation carried out by Stranmillis
University College which noted that high and lower-attaining children in
year 2 who had access to linguistic phonics outperformed other children in
year 2 who did not participate in the programme;
The introduction, by the North Eastern Education and Library Board of the
commercial Jolly Phonics synthetic programme and the findings of the
report from Stranmillis University College which noted that a systematic
approach to phonics at an early stage is more effective than later less
systematic phonics and that a phonics approach corresponded well withthe emphasis in the revised curriculum on enriching the children’s learning
environment and learning experiences through activities such as learning
through structured play at the Foundation Stage;
The impact of socio-economic disadvantage on levels of attainmentin literacy and numeracy, and on educational standards generally, is
highlighted consistently in research findings and specifically in a report
commissioned by DE on Barriers to Recognising the Benefits of Education.
That report recommended the further development of extended schools to
establish the school as a hub for multi-agency services to support familiesand encourage educational involvement; and
The report on Reading Literacy in Disadvantaged Primary Schools8
carried out by the Educational Research Centre in Dublin which
8 Reading Literacy in Disadvantaed Primary Schools (ERC 2004)
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recommended a greater integration of schools and other services, intensive
family support, and adult and family programmes to combat low levels of
parental literacy.
3.3 Additionally, DE commissioned research from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in
2007 on benchmarking attainment in Belfast against educational outcomes in
other relevant cities in Britain and Ireland. The report9 recommended greater
collaboration between local schools and argued for a sharper focus in literacy
and numeracy in initial and continuing teacher education. At school level the
report emphasised the role of the governors and principal in creating an ethos of
high expectations and in promoting a culture of enquiry and research, drawing
on good practice elsewhere, recommending a whole-school approach and
stronger links with parents and pupils and the promotion of reading for pleasure.
3.4 DE also commissioned PWC to consider the nature and quality of outcomes in
literacy and numeracy in schools here, to bring together the research evidence,
particularly in relation to the under-achievement of boys, and to investigate the
differences between high and low performing schools. The subsequent report10,
highlighted the need for strong strategic leadership from DE, supported by a
greater focus on literacy and numeracy outcomes in ETI reports and on initial and
continuing teacher education provision, in leadership training. At school level
it recommended that the governors and principal should support more fully the
work of teachers by acting as leaders of literacy and numeracy in the school andthe creators of an ethos of high expectations and aspirations. It also suggested
more effective links between schools at the points of transition.
3.5 All of this research points to a high degree of consistency between the
characteristics of good schools as set out in Every School a Good School: A policy
for school improvement . The characteristics of the good school are those that
research evidence confirms as being important in the context of raising standards
of literacy and numeracy. These features can be summarised as follows:-
9 Good practice in literacy and numeracy in British and Irish cities where the level of social deprivation is
comparable to or worse than, than that of Belfast (PWC 2007) 10 Literacy and numeracy of pupils in Northern Ireland (PWC 2007),
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Effective Teaching – characterised by committed, enthusiastic
and highly skilled teachers, fully supported by their school leaders,
parents and the education system, who have high expectations of
their pupils, enjoy positive working relationships with them and with
other school-based staff and who are dedicated to challenging and
improving the attainments of the learners; to sharing and learning from
their experiences and successes and who employ teaching strategies
appropriate to the needs of the learner.
A Positive Culture – evidenced by an ethos which promotes equality
of opportunity, high quality learning, a concern for individual pupils, an
openness to democracy within schools and respect for others, together
with a culture of achievement and aspiration.
Strong Leadership – characterised by high-quality leadership at all
levels that provides clear and realistic direction, based on a sound
knowledge of, and vision for, the school, and makes effective use of
financial and other resources. This is coupled with effective support and
challenge from the Board of Governors in the role of “critical friend”.
An Effective Planning and Resource Framework – appropriate school
development plans, formulated following a rigorous and honest self-
evaluation that includes the effective use of school performance data
and other evidence and informed decisions on how budgets are used to
support school improvement.
Effective Intervention and Support – characterised by systems
to identify pupils at risk of failing, organising interventions usingexternal support where appropriate; supported by effective pastoral
care systems; and developing strong links with parents and the wider
community to support and underpin the work of the school.
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Part 4 - The Literacy and Numeracy Strategy:A Way Forward
4.1 The revised curriculum already has, at its core, a strong focus on the fundamentalskills of talking and listening, reading, writing and using mathematics and will
be supported by a clear framework of assessment for and of learning. It offers
teachers much more flexibility to use their professional judgement to plan,
deliver and evaluate learning in ways that meet the needs of the children and
young people in their classrooms. In many schools, therefore, that combination
of good, challenging teaching, professional judgement and a sharp focus on the
needs of the individual learner will make a real difference to standards of literacy
and numeracy.
4.2 Literacy and numeracy are, however, simply too fundamental for progress not
to be led by a specific strategy and a focused, strategic approach is therefore
needed. This section sets out the nature of that approach; the improvements it is
designed to deliver; and the roles and responsibilities of the various organisations
involved.
A new vision for education
4.3 The revised literacy and numeracy strategy will be taken forward in a muchchanged education system that puts the child at the centre and is driven by the
core principles of equality and fairness. It will not be possible to maximise the
potential that the revised curriculum provides and to raise levels of achievement,
particularly at Key Stage 2 and in the post-primary sector while at the same
time continuing with a system that is designed to determine, at the age of ten
or eleven, which children are suitable for some schools and which are not. For
the post-primary sector, too, the gains that should be made will not be made if
we continue to allow a system which disadvantages the majority of schools and
majority of children.
4.4 That is why the Minister’s vision for the future of education has at its heart a
determination that all young people should be valued for their unique talents
and abilities and should be given equal opportunity to succeed, where all young
people are matched to provision that meets their needs in a unified, flexible and
responsible post-primary system.
Consultation Point 1: Do you agree that, in order to improve the literacy and numeracy
levels of our young people, we can and should create a post-primary
system without any element of academic selection?.
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A new clarity of focus on literacy and numeracy
4.5 The revised literacy and numeracy strategy will focus especially on the following:
According the highest priority across the whole education system
to supporting teachers in all of their work, but particularly their
efforts to improve standards of literacy and numeracy;
Ensuring that ‘pre-school’ set up and in the foundation stage
of the primary curriculum a good basis is laid for literacy and
numeracy;
A better co-ordinated and more effective cross-curricular
emphasis on literacy and numeracy in both primary and post-
primary schools that supports all teachers in recognising and
exploiting opportunities to support the development of literacy
and numeracy through their teaching;
A more explicit and effective emphasis on the promotion of
literacy and numeracy by teachers of English and mathematics in
post-primary schools;
A greater emphasis on the use of phonics in the context of a
wider enriching literacy programme in the foundation curriculum;
A specific focus in planning and in pedagogy on addressing the
barriers that have contributed to the gap in achievement in
English and maths between the highest and lowest achievers;
A clearer framework of accountability, with progress in literacy
and numeracy much more closely tracked at class, school and
system level to ensure improvement is achieved and maintained;
Improved linkages between school and home, with better
information for parents and carers about how they can help
and support their children to enjoy and do well in literacy and
numeracy; and
Strengthening the links between professional development and
good practice, ensuring that the in-service training of teachers is
where appropriate school-based and should include consideration
of examples of best practice in bench-marking, data collection
analysis and follow-up work at whole class, individual and
personalised levels.
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4.6 Research and inspection evidence indicates that information and
communications technology (ICT) can also be used effectively to support learning
and teaching across the school and there are already many good examples of
this. ICT plays an important role in promoting literacy and numeracy standards
and opens up new and exciting opportunities for learning and teaching which
motivate pupils to learn in new situations, including, in many instances, those
who had become disengaged from learning through more traditional teaching
strategies. Effective and regular use of ICT can allow pupils to access learning,
especially those with dyslexia. The potential of ICT to assist pupils with their
development of literacy and to support their mathematical learning can be
exploited in many ways. The current Review of the Empowering Schools Strategy
will set out in greater detail aspects of how ICT can be harnessed further to
support teachers in their work to promote literacy and numeracy.
Definitions
4.7 Literacy is the ability to read and use written information and to write
appropriately and legibly for a range of purposes, within a range of contexts and
for a variety of audiences. It also involves the integration of talking, listening
and critical thinking with reading and writing and includes the knowledge that
enables a speaker, writer and reader to recognise and use language appropriate
to different social situations. Literacy permeates and develops learning in all
areas of the curriculum, formal and informal, and all areas of social interactionand development.
Numeracy is the confidence and competence to apply mathematical skills in
routine and unfamiliar contexts. It involves having the mathematical skills
necessary to be a full contributor to society and the economy, including
those central to personal financial literacy, and having the disposition to
think mathematically in everyday situations, including those arising in
future employment. It involves the development of an understanding of key
mathematical concepts and inter-connectedness, the systematic developmentof reasoning and problem-solving skills, the proficient and appropriate use of
methods and procedures (formal and informal, mental and written), and active
participation in the exploration of mathematical ideas and models.
Aims and objectives of the strategy
4.8 The aim of this strategy is to raise standards in literacy and numeracy through
learning and teaching strategies designed to help young people acquire and
develop core literacy and numeracy skills. Consequently, they can then benefit
from the educational and other opportunities encountered in the years of formal
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education and beyond, and contribute positively as adults to society. The measure
of its success will be whether the numbers of young people who reach or exceed
the expected standards in language and literacy and mathematics & numeracy at
KS1 – 3 and, ultimately, GCSE A*-C level increase.
4.9 The strategy is designed to work in conjunction with other strategies, particularly
the new school improvement policy Every School a Good School to:
raise the levels of attainment for all young people in literacy and
numeracy;
narrow the current gaps in relation to the outcomes achieved by boys
compared with girls and between those most and least disadvantaged; and
narrow the gap between the highest performing and lowestperforming pupils and schools, after 12 years of compulsory
education.
4.10 It is also designed to:
promote more effective and consistent approaches that can support the
teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy in all phases;
ensure that the central place of the class teacher in relation to literacy and
numeracy is recognised and supported;
ensure an enhanced lead role in literacy and numeracy from the teaching
of language and literacy and mathematics & numeracy, and a more
effective contribution, to literacy and numeracy, from other subjects;
secure a more effective use of school performance data and information in
the teaching of language & literacy and mathematics & numeracy;
ensure a much greater focus on the teaching of literacy and numeracy
during initial teacher education;
ensure that there is improved communication and planning on literacy and
numeracy issues between schools when pupils transfer phase;
promote more intensive and focused support for literacy and numeracy in
those schools that are not achieving to their full potential; and
ensure that the governors and principals expect, and set, the highest
possible standards for literacy and numeracy.
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4.11 The strategy is based on the following propositions:
literacy and numeracy are essential skills that enable the young person
develop as an individual, and as a contributor to society and to the
economy;
all young people, other than those with very significant and complex
learning needs, will leave school having acquired the skills of reading,
writing, talking and listening and understanding and using mathematics at
least at a level that will allow them to access further and higher education
and/or employment and ideally much higher;
the development of literacy and numeracy skills will enhance an
individual’s learning in all other areas of the curriculum, self-esteem,
employability and life chances and help break the cycle of social andeconomic disadvantage;
literacy is integral to the learning process, accessing and using information
and interacting in an appropriate way with others, in a variety of contexts;
mathematics is the universal abstract language which underpins much of
the understanding in science, engineering and technology and is vital to
the success of the “knowledge economy”.
Consultation Point 2: Do you agree with the aims and objectives of the proposed strategy?
The core elements of the revised strategy
4.12 The starting point for this strategy is the recognition that improvements in
literacy and numeracy are delivered not through policy statements or inspection
reports but through the work of the teacher in the classroom. The strategy
recognises this and reflects what is already established good practice in very
many schools – the organisation of the learning and teaching of literacy and
numeracy-based subjects around three core elements. Detailed guidance on this
issue, including guidance developed by teachers for teachers, will be available
once the strategy is finalised.
WAVE ONE: Quality Whole-Class Teaching(within the context of the educational reforms)
4.13 The starting point in raising standards of literacy and numeracy must be high
quality, whole-class teaching. The planning for literacy and numeracy, not just
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in language & literacy and mathematics & numeracy lessons but across the
curriculum, should be based on structured programmes matched to the overall
requirements of each class and to the needs of its individual pupils. It should
enable pupils to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills specified in
the statutory requirements of the revised curriculum. Teachers must have high
expectations for all pupils.
4.14 Quality whole-class teaching, set in the context of a rich language curriculum,
should promote all four interdependent strands of: language; talking; listening;
reading; and writing and should reflect a whole-school plan for language. In
the early years, and as they progress across the key stages, children and young
people should also participate in modelled, shared, guided and independent
literacy experiences where they:
observe the teachers modelling a range of strategies and participate in
shared experiences;
participate in guided work;
engage in a range of interdependent activities; and
have access to, and make effective use of, print materials, moving image
and digital technology to support their learning.
4.15 In the early stages of language development (usually in Year 2), and within thecontext of a rich literacy environment, children should receive a systematic and
time-bounded programme of high-quality phonics work, reinforced by careful
assessment and monitoring of progress as they move from learning to read
towards reading to learn and as they engage with a diverse range of texts for
specific purposes and for pleasure.
4.16 In the early development of numeracy, children should develop the concepts of
number, space, measurement and data while exploring and manipulating their
immediate environments, acquire mental maths strategies in a variety of richcontexts and progress towards being able to problem-solve, choosing from a
wide variety of strategies, communicating their ideas mathematically and with
confidence, and seeing the relevance of what they are doing to everyday life.
4.17 In mathematics, teachers should make the teaching of mathematical concepts
as interesting and as relevant as possible and ensure the learning occurs through
interactive and collaborative activities. This approach will be complemented by:-
challenging the pupil’s understanding, through skilful questioning and
requiring the pupils to draw conclusions and justify their thinking;
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using a variety of activities, including ICT and practical equipment, that
entails pupils working individually, in pairs or in groups;
encouraging the pupils to make inter-connections within mathematics and
relating their work to other areas of the curriculum
providing clear, and when appropriate multiple, explanations;
providing opportunities for pupils to solve problems;
integrating, when appropriate, mental mathematical strategies;
encouraging pupils to think and talk about how they learn and what they
have learnt, using plenary sessions as appropriate; and
a greater focus on mathematics in the workplace and identification of real
world examples .
4.18 As in other subjects, it will be important that all schools have measures in place
to identify pupils who are particularly gifted and to ensure that provision not
only takes account of their level of ability, but is also sufficiently challenging to
retain, extend and develop their interest.
Consultation Point 3: Do you agree with the approach for Wave One?
WAVE TWO - Quality teaching plus additional support for identified pupils
4.19 When on-going assessment procedures and observation by the teachers suggest
that a pupil is underachieving, or is experiencing specific difficulties in literacy
and/or numeracy, then that pupil will be identified for additional support. This
may also be triggered through contacts between the individual teacher and the
SEN in pastoral systems within the school. This enhanced provision will normally
be delivered within the classroom and is designed to assist individual pupils to
resolve particular problems with literacy and/or numeracy and make suitable
progress. It is not intended to replace quality whole-class teaching nor to
compensate for ineffective teaching; rather it would be used for pupils who have,
for example, returned following a prolonged absence, have had frequent changes
of school or have some other difficulty which has hindered their progress or are
having a difficulty with a particular concept. The aim must be that, following
the period of support, the pupil will achieve at expected levels.
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4.20 Additional support will normally be provided by the class (or subject) teacher,
working as necessary with colleagues within the school. It will:
take the form of a structured programme, carefully targeted and delivered
by the teacher (or classroom assistant working under the supervision of the
teacher);
be time-bound and tailored to the needs of individuals and groups;
be matched to the assessed and observed needs of individual pupils and
focused on specific learning objectives and targets; and
be based on sound assessment procedures.
4.21 Guidance will be provided on appropriate interventions and approaches that canbe deployed to supplement quality whole-class teaching. The decision as to the
specific interventions will be a matter for the school and the teacher. In literacy
such interventions might include paired reading, Time to Read or behaviour
support. In mathematics, the remediation may take the form of a revision of
concepts and skills or lessons directed at specific errors.
Consultation Point 4: Do you agree with the approach for Wave Two?
WAVE THREE – Quality teaching plus personalised support tomeet the specific needs of individual pupils
4.22 More personalised support should be initiated when assessment procedures,
or observation by the teacher, indicates that a pupil has not made sufficient
progress and is not benefiting from the additional support outlined above.
Again it will normally be provided by the class (or subject) teacher although it
may require a greater degree of support from other teaching and professional
staff. The Literacy and Numeracy Strategy will be operating in tandem with,and reflecting, the current code of practice and changes which might occur as
a result of the on-going SEN and Inclusion Review. Intervention programmes
are more likely to be successful when the activities are properly planned and
programmed. In particular, pupils should not miss out on another key aspect of
the curriculum.
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4.23 This form of highly systematic support will be:
highly personalised to meet the individual needs of those pupils
experiencing significant difficulties in literacy and/or numeracy, and
who have not benefited sufficiently from the additional support already
provided;
specifically targeted on those pupils who are identified as requiring support
for additional educational needs; and
time-bound, monitored and evaluated.
4.24 This intensive support should be reviewed regularly and interventions that are
not delivering progress should be adapted. When the combination of quality
whole-class teaching and additional personalised support is not making adifference, the school should seek advice and assistance from educational
professionals in the relevant Education and Library Board (or the Education
and Skills Authority) on further strategies to be employed, and the scope
for additional support to be made available, to support learning. In all such
cases, the ELB/ESA will need to be satisfied that the school has first taken all
reasonable steps to ensure that teaching and additional support strategies are
effective.
Consultation Point 5: Do you agree with the approach for Wave Three?
Facilitating professional learning
4.25 Schools will require effective support to implement the strategy. The
Department, the ELBs and other existing support bodies, the Education and Skills
Authority (once established), the SENCO within the school and the providers of
initial teacher education will all have a part to play in:
ensuring that priority is given to the provision of professional support
and development opportunities in the area of literacy and numeracy for
teaching professionals;
ensuring that those with management or coordinating roles in schools are
supported effectively to identify, implement and disseminate good practice
in the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy;
ensuring that teachers and student teachers can understand, interpret and
use data on pupil, class and school performance;
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developing the capability of all staff (especially teaching staff, librarians
classroom assistants and support staff) to implement effectively the
literacy and numeracy strategy, by focusing on the effectiveness of
planning and practice and on the pupils’ learning and outcomes, especially
on appropriate pedagogues and interventions;
ensuring a whole school approach so that other support structures such as
the special needs co-ordinator or pastoral care teacher are involved;
placing an increased emphasis on developing the literacy and numeracy
capabilities of Beginning Teachers and students in initial teacher
education. All students involved in initial teacher education for the
primary sector should be trained in specific approaches to literacy and
numeracy. Where possible, approaches to improving literacy should also be
included within PCGE and B.Ed provision;
examining the needs of schools for training in phonics and reading
recovery techniques;
making schools aware of the various interventions and supporting them
in their use of these as well as ensuring that school leaders and teachers
are kept informed about current research and practice in the teaching and
learning of literacy and numeracy;
encouraging the development and dissemination of good practice in
the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy. This is particularly
important in the context of using ICT and also in other sharing approaches
that spark the interest and enthusiasm of young people at risk of
underachievement. It will also include providing opportunities for excellent
teachers to impart their knowledge and expertise to colleagues;
advising schools on better management of the process of transition
between phases;
suggesting ways in which the School Library Service can support the
literacy strategy by, for example, advising schools on stock likely to appealto pupils or by arranging for authors to visit schools; and
monitoring and evaluating progress, using evidence from pupil and school
performance, from research, and from inspection and using such evidence
to challenge schools where the trends in performance appear particularly
at variance with the history and nature of the school.
Consultation Point 6: Do you agree with the proposed support measures to facilitate
professional learning and help ensure effective implementation of the strategy? Are there any others?
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Part 5 - Data and Target Setting Framework
Improving monitoring, evaluation and the use of data
5.1 The Department places significant importance on improving monitoring,
evaluation and the tracking of data. Effective performance data management
and monitoring and evaluation are essential tools to improve standards of
literacy and numeracy and have been identified regularly in inspection and in
research evidence here and elsewhere as key aspects of curriculum development
and improvement. Significantly, the last three reports of the Chief Inspector
(covering the period 1999-2006) have drawn attention to the need to improve
the use of performance data in and by schools to identify and remedy pupils’
strengths and weaknesses.
5.2 If standards of literacy and numeracy are to be improved, DE believes that more
attention needs to be given to data reflecting whole-school outcomes, as well
as the performance of individual pupils, and sub-groups based on gender, ability,
ethnicity, social disadvantage and first language. The use of benchmarked data
should also be used more systematically by principals, senior managers and
teachers to obtain a comparative perspective against which the pupils’ progress
in literacy and numeracy can be assessed. Effective remedial action should then
be taken, as required, to adjust current planning and practice.
5.3 Standardised scores, and other test evidence (on their own) will not provide
a sufficiently comprehensive picture of attainment in literacy and numeracy,
but they do provide indicators that can help to determine pupils’ progress, or
lack of it. Nevertheless, the evidence from inspection demonstrates that there
are continuing problems with the use of performance data across schools.
Approaches to standardised testing have been inconsistent; the dissemination of
standardised scores and related data to teachers is often not well managed; the
understanding of standardised and other data is limited; and teachers are often
uncertain how best to use performance data to help determine the effectivenessof their teaching and to adjust, as necessary, their future planning and practice.
5.4 Robust self evaluation leading to effective school development planning is at
the centre of the Department’s proposed new policy for school improvement and
data lies at the heart of both of these. Maintaining and using data effectively, at
class and whole school level, and setting challenging yet achievable targets for
literacy and numeracy provides a focus for whole school planning and for activity
at classroom level. The Department has provided access to software to support
statutory assessment requirements in literacy and numeracy, the InCAS tool to
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be used for pupils in Years 4-7; and more generally to support classroom practice
and ongoing assessment in numeracy, the Alta tool which can be used from Year
1 or 2 through to Year 10. Software such as Alta, available free for all schools,
and which allows for performance and progress to be tracked over a pupil’s
career, will support teachers in using data and setting targets. [Alta is currently
available in mathematics].
5.5 Schools are under a statutory responsibility to set targets for literacy and
numeracy. Under the Target Setting Regulations, schools must set targets for
achievement in key stage assessments and public examinations. The School
Development Plan regulations require that targets must be published in the
school development plan. Both sets of regulations will require revision in
the light of the new assessment arrangements. Elsewhere the new school
improvement policy sets out the expectation that the support body will meetwith each school to discuss performance and targets for improvement.
5.6 The School Improvement consultation document ‘Every School a Good School’
makes clear the role that ESA will play meeting regularly with the Governors and
Principal of each school to discuss the performance of the school and provide
support in the school planning process. This can be followed up, as required,
with further support on the effective use of data. The Department has received
a significant number of consultation responses to ‘Every School a Good School’
and, in finalising that strategy, will be making changes to reflect the manyhelpful and constructive comments and suggestions that have been received.
5.7 Evidence from successful schools suggests however that setting challenging
targets at a whole school level may not be sufficient. Achieving targets is a
much more difficult exercise and it is particularly important that the need
to realise targets shapes and informs the day-to-day work of individual
teachers and that their successes are reflected in performance review and staff
development (PRSD) objectives and assessment.
Targets for improvements in literacy and numeracy
5.8 The Department is determined that every child should be able to leave school
with good levels of literacy and numeracy and be equipped to succeed in
adulthood. It is therefore committing, as part of this strategy, to setting
stretching new targets designed to turn the tide in relation to underachievement.
The test of the strategy’s success will be measured in relation to the outcomes
of the children starting school in Year 1 in September 2008 when they reach Key
Stage 4 in 2020. By then, we want to see the following improvements:
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70% of students gaining 5+ GCSE’s A*-C, including English/Maths (or
equivalent) by the time they leave school by 2020;
65% of students with entitlement to Free School Meals gaining 5 or more
GCSEs A*-C including English and Maths by the time they leave school by2020; and
95% of students gaining GCSE A*-G in English and Maths (or equivalent)
by the time they leave school by 2020.
5.9 Taking into account our baseline position (see below) we recognise that this
represents a major challenge and that success will be dependent not just on the
implementation of this strategy but on a much wider programme of education
reform that will see a clear focus on school improvement; a move away from the
inequities created by the current system of academic selection towards a systemof election that puts the needs and expectations of the child at its heart; and a
new approach to identifying and supporting special and additional educational
needs.
Consultation Point 7: Do you agree with the proposed targets? If not, please give reasons below.
5.10 We need to measure progress as we go along. The following are the PSA targets
set by the Department and agreed by the Assembly and which relate to literacy
and numeracy. These provide milestones for measuring progress:-
55% of students gaining 5+ GCSEs A*-C, including English/Maths (or
equivalent) by the time they leave school by 2011.
Baseline position: 53.7%
30% of students with entitlement to Free School Meals gaining 5 or more
GCSEs A*-C including English and Maths by the time they leave school by
2011.
Baseline position: 26.3%
90% of students gaining GCSE A* - G in English and Maths (or equivalent)
by the time they leave school by 2011.
Baseline position: 87%
A full summary of targets for the strategy are set out in Annex 2.
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5.11 It is critical that each school sets targets for literacy and numeracy and in doing
so takes account of its past performance; the performance of schools with
similar characteristics; and the performance of the cohort of pupils to whom the
target will apply.
5.12 Work is underway on an assessment policy that will provide the context to
how targets are to be set and assessed in future years in line with the revised
curriculum. At present the focus is substantially on the outcomes from the
12-years of compulsory education. DE will consider the position, in particular, at
the end of Key Stages 2 and 3 in relation to Communication , Using Mathematics
and Using ICT.
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A strategy for raising achievement in literacy and numeracy 31
Part 6 – Roles and Responsibilities
6.1 As with any strategy, a key challenge lies in turning the aims and objectives into
actions that are capable of delivering the desired results. This section thereforesets out the roles and responsibilities of schools, the education support bodies,
the Education and Training Inspectorate and the Department. It also makes
recommendations for actions that should be taken by those responsible for
providing initial teacher education.
6.2 Evidence from curriculum development programmes since 1979 has highlighted
clearly the challenges involved in embedding an external programme successfully
into the culture, day-to-day practice and priorities of primary and post-primary
schools. Despite the interest of governors, principals, senior managers and
teachers, the support of external agencies, and the curricular significance
of particular programmes, it has in the past proved difficult to ensure that a
development programme is well established in classroom practice.
The role of schools
6.3 As noted elsewhere in this document, the primary responsibility for raising
standards in literacy and numeracy and for closing the gap in achievement lies
with teachers in schools. If this strategy is to influence significantly the work of
teachers, and bring about improvement, particular care will be needed to ensure
that the strategy is given highest priority within the school and recognised as
an integral and ongoing element of the revised curriculum and of the school’s
own improvement agenda for all pupils. School governors, working alongside the
headteacher, should provide effective leadership in this area and will, therefore,
need to make sure that the following actions are in place within their schools:
schools should have in place – and regularly review – a written policy on
the promotion of literacy and numeracy;
there should be a clear lead taken in literacy and numeracy development
and co-ordination across the curriculum;
in post-primary schools, the particular role of the English and Maths
teacher in helping to deliver improvement should be recognised, as should
the vital role that other subject teachers can play in helping to improve
literacy and numeracy – all teachers are teachers of literacy and numeracy;
in all schools there should be effective liaison between those with
responsibility for literacy and numeracy, the SENCO and the pastoral care
system;
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as part of their self-evaluation and self-assessment, schools should look
critically at the impact of their learning and teaching strategies and
interventions they use particularly in relation to developing the pupils’
literacy and numeracy skills;
all schools must set clear and measurable targets for improvements in
English and mathematics as part of their school development planning
processes;
targets should take account of the trends in their performance set against
benchmarked data for schools with similar characteristics and reflect
the need to deliver improvements overall and in reducing any gap in
attainment (for example between boys and girls; those least and most
disadvantaged; or higher and lower attaining pupils);
school leaders (governors and principals) should ensure that the
performance review and staff development process reflects the progress of
individual teachers in delivering progress;
schools should make the most of all opportunities to reinforce and
develop the importance of literacy and numeracy through, for example,
encouraging reading for pleasure and promoting the role of maths in
careers. (The role of extended schools, the relationship with the local
public library and connections between schools and local statutory and
voluntary youth services and Traveller Support Groups are all importanthere); and
school library stock should be regularly reviewed and refreshed and young
people involved, wherever possible, in selecting book stock.
6.4 Primary schools additionally should:
have systems in place to identify as early as possible children who need
additional intervention;
ensure that children, in the early years, receive a systematic programme
of high-quality phonics work, reinforced by careful assessment and
monitoring of progress;
where primary schools have a trained reading recovery teacher, they
should also ensure that he or she has provided opportunities for all staff to
develop their skills in accordance with this programme; and
ensure that children, in the early years, receive a systematic programme
of remediation in number skills, reinforced by careful assessment and
monitoring of progress.
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The role of the education support bodies
6.5 When established, the Education and Skills Authority will:
provide schools with benchmarked data to enable them to set appropriate
targets for attainment in literacy and numeracy;
write annually to each school, setting out the system targets and the
general policy context as a basis for the school to review its school
development plan and to set targets;
monitor and evaluate annually the performance of individual schools and
use the trend information to identify schools where support interventions
may be needed;
provide advice, support and training to schools in the most effective
literacy and numeracy pedagogues;
provide advice, support and training to schools in the development and
implementation of effective cross-curricular approaches to the learning,
teaching and assessment of literacy and numeracy;
consider the provision of centrally managed support for more costly
interventions (in line with the SEN review) e.g. reading recovery, which
could then be made available to schools at subsidised rates; advise on leadership and management issues and ensure a co-ordinated
approach to raising standards across schools;
work in partnership with all stakeholders (inc statutory agencies) to meet
the literacy and numeracy needs of all pupils and to provide parents with
information, guidance and support in relation to literacy and numeracy;
consider the development of an on-line resource to support the
identification of targets;
along with ETI facilitate the identification and embedding of good practice;
provide advice and support to schools on the development and effective
use of their school libraries; and
provide a challenge function to schools in respect of their performance.
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6.6 Until ESA is established, the Education and Library Boards, working where
appropriate with CCMS, NICIE, CnaG and CCEA, will take the following actions to
support schools in improving standards in literacy and numeracy:
provide guidance, professional support and training to schools through the
Curriculum Advisory and Support Service;
through the Partnership Management Board, ensure that guidance, support
and training is consistent, co-ordinated and linked effectively into the
revised curriculum;
monitor standards in literacy and numeracy at school and ELB level;
challenge the performance of schools where it appears to be a cause for
concern; advise on leadership and management issues and support a co-ordinated
approach to raising standards across schools; and
ensure a specific focus in governor training on school improvement
generally and literacy and numeracy in particular.
6.7 Additionally, the ELBs, CCMS and other employing authorities will be expected
to maintain a clear focus on the quality of teaching and to support the
school leadership team in taking prompt and appropriate action to deal with
unsatisfactory teaching.
The role of the teacher education institutions
6.8 The need to improve standards of literacy and numeracy has considerable
implications for initial teacher training. It needs therefore to be given the
highest priority, particularly at primary level. Those with responsibility for
initial teacher education, and subsequent professional training, should focus
more systematically on developing the capacity of principals, senior staff
and classroom teachers to improve the teaching and learning of literacy and
numeracy to all pupils and, in particular, the various interventions which
can be used. Furthermore, greater attention needs to be given in initial and
subsequent training to the more effective use of comparative performance data
to identify priorities and actions in respect of provision and outcomes in literacy
and numeracy, and to track and improve the attainment of individual pupils,
particularly boys and other under-performing groups.
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6.9 Initial Teacher Training organisations should therefore:
continue to ensure that course lecturers are up-to-date with new and
successful pedagogical practices in relation to literacy and numeracy and
adjust programmes to reflect these;
revise programmes to ensure that all students on primary teaching courses
understand key interventions and approaches e.g. reading recovery,
phonics;
ensure that the teaching of phonics is an integral part of all programmes
involving the teaching of reading to young people;
seek to ensure that in arranging teaching practice, students have
opportunities to gain experience of teaching across a broad spectrum of settings; and
ensure that all students on PCGE and BEd courses , irrespective of any
subject specialism, are involved in the study of literacy and numeracy.
The role of the Education and Training Inspectorate
6.10 The Education and Training Inspectorate will:
report at system level through the Chief Inspector’s Report on standardsof provision, outcomes and issues arising in relation to the progress of the
Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and, in particular, on the priority accorded
to literacy and numeracy, the standards being achieved and the extent to
which these are being taken forward as whole-school issues;
ensure that, in each of its school inspections, there is specific comment on
the planning for, co-ordination of and teaching of literacy and numeracy;
report specifically on successful interventions that it finds in schools in
order to help ensure that best practice is recorded and shared; and
work closely with the providers of initial teacher education and early and
continuing professional development for teachers on the identification and
dissemination of good practice.
The role of the Department of Education
6.11 The Department of Education is responsible for setting the policy direction
in the area of literacy and numeracy; for ensuring that this policy direction
is evidence-based and appropriately resourced; for setting targets for the
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improvements the strategy is designed to deliver; and for accounting to the
Assembly for its progress, and that of the education sector, in delivering those
improvements.
6.12 The Department’s role therefore is to:
give strategic leadership in this area, ensuring that it is given the highest
priority across the education system;
communicate to the support bodies, schools and parents the key elements
of the literacy and numeracy strategy;
set realistic but challenging targets for the strategy based on evidence
from trends in patterns of attainment, inspection, and relevant research;
provide a baseline of indicators for monitoring and making judgements
concerning provision and outcomes for literacy and numeracy;
ensure the strategy is adequately resourced;
in consultation with ETI, monitor and evaluate the quality and
appropriateness of the Strategy in primary and post-primary schools, and
also the literacy and numeracy components within initial teacher training
and within continuing professional development programmes; and
in consultation with ETI, monitor and evaluate the support provided toschools by the ESA in relation to the literacy and numeracy strategy.
6.13 In fulfilling this role, the Department is committed to taking the following
actions:
In developing the strategy
we will be informed by a robust evidence-base and by the findings of
inspections as well as by the experiences of experienced teachers and otherpractitioners;
we will consult openly and inclusively on the content of this draft strategy
and proposing changes and improvements that reflect the feedback
received during consultation;
we will also consult on the accompanying equality impact assessment, in
line with our duty to promote equality of opportunity and good relations;
we will set clear targets for improvements in standards of literacy and
numeracy; and
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we will develop, in consultation with the Irish medium sector, a
complementary strategy that recognises the needs of that sector in
relation to literacy and numeracy in a bilingual environment.
In supporting the delivery of the strategy
we will commission the preparation of clear and practical guidance for
all schools to help them translate the key themes in this strategy into
classroom practice designed to deliver improvement;
we will provide additional resources, over and above the very significant
resources already delegated to schools and provided to ELBs, to support
elements of this strategy, particularly those focused on narrowing the gap
in achievement in areas of significant social disadvantage;
we will review the school development planning regulations to clarify the
target-setting requirements for literacy and numeracy;
we will ensure, in our policies on the curriculum and on assessment, a clear
focus on performance in literacy and numeracy;
we will also ensure that this strategy does not sit in isolation from other
work, including in the areas of school improvement, supporting special
educational needs and extended schools; and
we will empower the literacy and numeracy taskforce to oversee our
progress in finalising and implementing the strategy and to support (and
where necessary challenge) our performance, and that of the education
sector, in delivering its stated objectives.
In being accountable for progress
we will report regularly to the literacy and numeracy taskforce on progress;
we will monitor the progress of ESA (and, until it is established the existingeducation support bodies) and hold it to account;
we will account for the progress that, collectively, the education sector
makes towards the targets set for this strategy; and
we will put in place arrangements to evaluate the effectiveness of this
strategy.
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The need for more effective partnership with parents and local communities
6.14 We know, from research and from the experiences of principals and teachers,
that the improvement of standards in schools, especially those in areas of high
social and economic disadvantage, is influenced significantly by factors that will
not be wholly within the control of the schools involved. There is ample research
evidence which demonstrates that pupils achieve more where their parents take
an active interest in their education, supporting and encouraging them and
setting high (but achievable) expectations and aspirations. In taking forward this
strategy, we therefore want schools and the education support bodies to work
together to address effectively those influences that lead to a lack of confidence
in school-based education and of parental engagement with schools and
schooling.
6.15 In doing this, it will be important that improved parental engagement, especially
with “hard to reach” parents, focuses on developing strong working contacts and
trust. Schemes such as Bookstart, which aims to provide a free pack of books
to every child born in order to stimulate a love of reading encourage parent
child interaction and give children a good start in life; and the Preparing for Life
Scheme which aims to gift a series of book packs to every child in the locality
during their pre-school years and is designed to promote children’s development
in economically deprived areas. In addition, schools should implement measures
to improve parental involvement in their children’s education, heighten parentalexpectations, and help them take an increased interest in the standards their
children achieve, or need to achieve. A recognition of parental literacy must also
be taken into account.
6.16 To help achieve these objectives, a family and community element should
continue to be included as an essential part of development planning in
schools. Improved parental contact should also be accompanied by efforts
to encourage those with significant standing in the community to support
school-based education, and to emphasise to young people that a lack of competence in literacy and numeracy skills will inhibit greatly their future
employment prospects and reduce their effectiveness as adults in an increasingly
technological and diverse society.
The Role of the Literacy and Numeracy Taskforce
6.17 The Literacy and Numeracy Taskforce will assist the Department in finalising
the revised literacy and numeracy strategy. This includes the setting of targets
for the promotion of literacy and numeracy. The Taskforce will ensure effective
implementation and evaluation of the strategy and will report annually to the
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Department on the effectiveness of the strategy and make recommendations
on improvements which could be made. The first report will be delivered to the
Department by 31 December 2008. The Taskforce will also receive and comment
on reports from the Department on progress against all agreed actions set out in
the Department’s response to the PAC report into literacy and numeracy.
Consultation Point 7: Do you agree with the roles and responsibilities detailed in section 6?
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Part 7 - Conclusion
7.1 This strategy is designed to bring about a significant improvement in standards
of attainment for all young people in primary and post-primary schools throughenhanced teaching in language and literacy and mathematics and numeracy, and
across the curriculum. The aim of the strategy is to ensure that all young people
develop a capability in literacy and numeracy that allows them to participate
with confidence in an increasingly technological, complex and diverse society.
7.2 The standards attained by many pupils are rightly recognised and applauded
but that should not be taken to imply that further improvement is not possible
or necessary; the old adage, to make the good better and the better best, is as
relevant now as it ever was in the past.
7.3 The needs of those young people, especially in areas of high social and economic
disadvantage and others such as children from Traveller families and from
minority ethnic backgrounds also require particular care and attention. It is
recognised that educational improvement in areas subject to high levels of
disadvantage is likely to be influenced adversely by a range of non-educational
factors. Nevertheless, the need to improve significantly the standards of
attainment for young people in such areas is one of the key objectives of the
strategy, and it will be especially important that educationalists work with all
other relevant partners to overcome the constraints that have impeded progress
in the past.
7.4 Ultimately, the success of the strategy will depend to a very significant extent
on how it influences day-to-day priorities and actions in schools, and on how
effectively governors, principals, senior managers and classroom teachers
implement the strategy in their planning and practice. We want to make sure
that it is implemented in a coherent way with other strategies and policies
designed to support children with a range of barriers to learning. We also want
to make sure that it delivers results. Young people, especially those whosecompetence in literacy and numeracy is not secure, deserve nothing less.
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Annex 1
Key Performance Data
Key Stage 2 1999 – 2007
1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7
English 69.0 71.5 72.8 73.9 75.6 N/A 76.6 78.0 78.0
Maths 73.9 75.4 75.7 77.0 78.2 N/A 79.0 80.0 79.5
Key Stage 3 Teacher Assessment 1999 – 2007
1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7English 72.4 72.5 72.7 73.9 74.9 N/A 74.6 76.6 78.2
Maths 71.2 71.7 71.2 71.9 74.2 N/A 73.9 72.9 74.4
GCSE A*-C 1999 – 2007
1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7
English 59.8 59.7 60.4 60.5 60.8 60.8 62.0 62.6 63.4
Maths 55.3 55.6 56.2 57.8 57.3 55.6 57.9 57.9 58.8
GCSE A*-G 1999 – 2007
1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7
English 89.5 89.5 89.5 88.7 89.7 89.7 89.8 89.3 89.9
Maths 87.5 88.5 88.5 89.2 88.9 87.3 89.0 88.5 89.2
GCSE English and Maths 1999 – 2007
1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7
A*-C 50.2% 50.8% 51.0% 51.7% 51.5% 50.8% 52.5% 52.9% 53.6%
A*-G 85.4% 86.5% 86.5% 86.4% 86.8% 85.4% 86.9% 86.4% 87.0%
GCSE Irish 1999 – 2007 (in Irish Medium Post Primary Schools)
1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7
A*-C N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 79.7 84.5 72.0 80.3
A*-G N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 100.0 100.0 100.0 98.5
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Annex 2
Targets for Improvement in Literacy and Numeracy
LevelActual performance
Milestone
Targets
Strategy
Targets
2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2011/12 2020
Key Stage 2 English (% of
pupils at expected level)76.6% 78.0% 78.0% - -
Key Stage 2 maths (% of
pupils at expected level)
79.0% 80.0% 79.5% - -
Key Stage 3 English (% of
pupils at expected level)74.6% 76.6% 78.2% - -
Key Stage 3 Maths (% of
pupils at expected level)73.9% 72.9% 74.4% - -
5+ GCSE A*-C (inc Eng and
Maths)51.0% 51.2%
Validated
data not
available
55% 70%
5+ GCSE A*-C (inc Eng and
Maths) – FSME pupils only
Not
available 26.3%
Validated
data notavailable 30% 65%
GCSE A*-G (or equivalent)
in English and Maths by the
time they leave school
87% 86% 87% 90% 95%
Note: Key Stage assessment scores are based on information received from CCEA and GCSE scores
are derived from the University of Bath dataset and the School Leavers’ Survey.
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Annex 3
Findings from Research, Inspection and
Other Related Material1 In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to the role of phonics in
raising standards in literacy. The findings of the review of the teaching of early
reading by Jim Rose (Department for Education and Skills, 2006) reinforced
strongly the view that the use of phonics in the early years has particular
significance in enabling beginning readers to acquire the knowledge, skills and
understanding that enable them to become more competent and confident in
reading. The review recommended that high-quality synthetic phonics should
begin by the age of 5, and should be taught discretely as the main approachin learning to read and write. The review also recommended that phonic
work, consisting of a daily schedule of some 20 minutes a day, should not be
considered as a stand-alone strategy but should be embedded in a rich and
broad language programme that addresses the wider knowledge, skills and
understanding that children need to become effective readers and writers. The
review concluded that synthetic phonics offers the vast majority of young
children the best and most direct route to becoming skilled readers and writers.
2 In addition, the review identified the essential characteristics of successful
early literacy programmes including well-trained teachers, well-designed
and thoroughly implemented programmes of work, incisive assessment of
teaching and learning, and strong supportive leadership. It emphasised that,
while intervention may be necessary, in some cases, to raise standards of
literacy, “quality first teaching”, within mainstream classroom practice, is of
fundamental importance and requires a clear focus on key issues such as the
quality and appropriateness of classroom organisation, teaching materials and
style, assessment for learning, and the ability of teachers to cater effectively for
individual difference. Significantly, the review noted that “improving the quality
of what is already in place rather than introducing lots of new elements is likely toyield the greatest benefits” .
3 In 2002, the Belfast Education and Library Board identified a need to address
the early teaching of reading and, following research, developed a linguistic
phonics programme which was designed to complement the foundation stage
of the revised curriculum, then under development. Given early indicators
of success the programme was taken up on a pilot basis by three other
Boards and a commercial programme, Jolly Phonics, was piloted by the North
Eastern Education and library Board. Stranmillis University College, Belfast
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was commissioned by the Education and Library Boards to evaluate the two
approaches and assess the effect of phonics programmes in local schools.
The report on The Impact of the Linguistic Phonics Approach on Children’s
Reading, Writing and Spelling, Stranmillis University College, 2006, stressed the
importance of developing a phonics programme within the context of a rounded
literacy experience. It noted that high and lower-attaining children in year 2
who had access to linguistic phonics outperformed other children in year 2 who
did not participate in the programme. Evidence for similar improvement was less
evident in the research carried out with year 8 pupils in post-primary schools.
4 The report on Improving Literacy in the Early Years: An Evaluation of the Jolly
Phonics Programme in the NEELB: Stranmillis University College, 2007, noted
that a systematic approach to phonics at an early stage is more effective
than later less systematic phonics and that a phonics approach correspondedwell with the emphasis in the revised curriculum on enriching the children’s
learning environment and learning experiences through play-based learning
at the Foundation Stage. The report also considered the distinction between
analytic phonics and synthetic phonics, the two most debated approaches to
the teaching of phonics. Analytic phonics encourages children to analyse sets
of words that share a letter and sound, with an initial focus on a “look and
say” approach, followed by investigating phonic aspects and spelling patterns.
In contrast, synthetic phonics centres on teaching children the individual
letter-sound correspondences that they can then blend together to form a word.All of the teachers reported that a phonics approach had a highly effective or
effective impact in KS1 on the children’s reading and independent writing, and a
significant impact on improved spelling performance.
5 The Review of the Northern Ireland Literacy Strategy, University of Glasgow
(2006) drew attention to the importance of educational and social disadvantage
as an impediment to raising levels of attainment in literacy, and proposed a more
targeted allocation of resources in favour of children and schools in socially
deprived areas. It highlighted the positive contribution of Reading Recoveryas an effective mechanism in improving standards in literacy, and emphasis
was given to research evidence from Scotland concerning the advantages of a
systematic phonics programme within a broad literacy curriculum. The Review
stressed the need for a more effective approach to performance management
in schools, including, for example, the use of aggregated performance data to
highlight differences in outcomes for different pupils, or groups of pupils. In line
with the recommendations of the NIAO and PAC, the review also noted the need
for improved levels of parental support, and for a greater emphasis in initial and
subsequent teacher training on strategies to improve levels of attainment in
literacy.
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6 The Review of the Northern Ireland Numeracy Strategy, University of Glasgow
(2006) highlighted the need for teachers to have suitable initial and subsequent
training as well as sound subject-specific knowledge. It also recommended
that pupils should experience a wider and more challenging range of learning
opportunities including mental calculation in a range of contexts, tasks requiring
strategic thinking, higher-order questioning, collaborative problem-solving, and
increased use of ICT. The recent evaluation of the mathematics provision in
NI post-primary schools conducted by the Education and Training Inspectorate
also concludes that the teaching is most effective, when it is interactive and
contingent on the pupils’ responses, includes collaborative activities, encourages
discussion, involves problem-solving and investigative work, and links the
learning with other subjects, including the use of authentic problems.
7 The extent to which socio-economic disadvantage impacts adversely upon levelsof attainment in literacy and numeracy, and on educational standards generally,
is highlighted consistently in research findings as a major impediment that
limits the success of programmes aimed at improving provision and standards
for all young people, irrespective of ability and background. Socio-economic
disadvantage and its impact was the subject of a report commissioned by
DE on the Barriers to Recognising the Benefits of Education, Patrick Dorrian,
March 2006. Within disadvantaged communities in particular, the report
suggested that educational disengagement is often accompanied by poor levels
of parental and pupil attainment, condoned absences, deprivation, povertyand unemployment, by poor health and dependence on benefits, and by social
exclusion. The report recommended the further development of extended schools
to establish the school as a hub for multi-agency services to support families and
encourage educational involvement.
8 The issues raised in the Dorrian report also feature strongly in a report on
Reading Literacy in Disadvantaged Primary Schools by the Educational Research
Centre, Dublin (2004). The report recommended a greater integration of schools
and other services, intensive family support, and adult and family programmesto combat low levels of parental literacy. One of the report’s key findings
centred on major weaknesses in relation to the nature and effectiveness of
monitoring, evaluation and target-setting in schools, all issues fundamental
to the improvement of provision and standards in literacy and numeracy. The
report noted, for example, that test results are often seen as useful by principals
tracking whole-school performance but are considered to be of limited value
by class teachers, especially when the tests are administered at the end of
the academic year. Furthermore, on marking and its impact on the raising
of standards, the report was critical of the overuse of “praise and positive
reinforcement with disaffected pupils, in the belief that it boosted self-esteem,
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Every School a Good School
48
which in turn was expected to improve reading achievement.” The report
concluded that “It would seem reasonable to suppose that pupils who are given
balanced and detailed feedback about their strengths and weaknesses, and areas
where improvements can be made, are in a better position than those who only
hear praise for their efforts.”
9 In response to a PAC recommendation, DE commissioned research from
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) on benchmarking attainment in Northern Ireland,
and specifically Belfast, against educational outcomes in other relevant cities
in Britain and Ireland. The 2007 report from PwC, ‘Good practice in literacy
and numeracy in British and Irish cities where the level of social deprivation
is comparable to or worse than, than that of Belfast’ recommended that, at
system level, there should be greater collaboration between local schools and
with those elsewhere seeking city-wide solutions in the interests of sharingand disseminating good practice. It argued for a sharper focus in literacy and
numeracy in initial and continuing teacher education with a particular focus on
special educational needs and working in challenging schools. It proposed the
creation of an electronic “one stop shop” for advice, resources and training open
to all teachers.
10 At school level the report emphasised the role of the governors and principal in
creating an ethos of high expectations and in promoting a culture of enquiry and
research, drawing on good practice elsewhere. It recommended a whole-schoolapproach with a consistent and co-ordinated approach to the teaching
methodology and to the interventions used. It argued for a strengthening of
links with parents and pupils and for the promotion of reading for pleasure. It
recommended the use of appropriate role models to encourage boys’ reading and
writing.
11 DE also commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to consider the nature and
quality of outcomes in literacy and numeracy in schools, to bring together the
research evidence, particularly in relation to the under-achievement of boys, andto investigate the differences between high and low performing schools. The
subsequent report, “Literacy and numeracy of pupils in Northern Ireland (2007)”,
noted that its recommendations were similar to those made previously in other
evaluations of literacy and numeracy, and to the findings contained in successive
reports of the Chief Inspector. The report’s principal recommendations included
the need at a system level for strong strategic leadership from DE supported by a
greater focus on literacy and numeracy outcomes in ETI reports and on initial and
continuing teacher education provision, in Leadership training. At school level it
recommended that the governors and principal should act as leaders of literacy
and numeracy in the school and the creators of an ethos of high expectations
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and aspirations. It also suggested more effective links between schools at the
points of transition.
12 Recognising the central role of the professional teacher the General Teaching
Council NI recently published, ‘Teaching: the Reflective Profession’11 and its focus
on professional competences for teaching has also informed the development of
this draft strategy.
13 It is unsurprising that there should be a high degree of congruance between the
characteristics of good schools as set out for consultation in the draft school
improvement policy, and those features identified by research and inspection as
being important in the context of raising standards of literacy and numeracy.
These can be summarised as follows:-
Effective Teaching – characterised by committed, enthusiastic and
competent teachers who have high expectations of their pupils, enjoy
positive relationships with their pupils and with other school-based staff
and who are dedicated to improving learning.
A Positive Culture – evidenced by an ethos which promotes equality of
opportunity, high quality learning, a concern for individual pupils and
respect for others, together with a culture of achievement and aspiration.
An unwavering expectation by teachers, pupils, parents and the widercommunity that all pupils can and will achieve to their potential.
Strong Leadership – characterised by high quality leadership at all levels
which provides clear and realistic direction based on a sound knowledge
of and vision for the school, and makes effective use of financial and other
resources. This is coupled with effective support and challenge from the
Board of Governors for the process of improvement.
An Effective Planning Framework – good quality school development
plans formulated following a rigorous and honest self-evaluation whichincludes the effective use of data and other evidence.
Effective Intervention and Support – characterised by systems to identify
pupils at risk of failing and organising interventions utilising external
support where appropriate. Developing strong links with parents and the
wider community to support and underpin the work of the school.