A “thematic inspection” of literacy and English in Scottish schools has found that, despite some “significant strengths”, there are a number of pressing improvements required.
And one of the big messages in from the newly independent His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education is that literacy cannot be left entirely to teachers of English.
The report, Literacy and English within Scotland’s curriculum, identifies room for improvement across the three broad areas of listening and talking, reading and writing.
In listening and talking, the report finds that “the quality of interactions is inconsistent across and within settings”.
“Practitioners need to improve the quality of all interactions they have with children. They need to ensure that they ask questions and make comments in all interactions that develop children’s thinking and extend their learning,” it says.
The report finds “inconsistencies in the ways other secondary teachers plan listening and talking activities progressively across the curriculum”, adding: “Staff need to strengthen planning, assessment and moderation in this area, and provide more opportunities for reflection and skill development, ensuring that children understand their progress.”
Reading for pleasure needs secondary focus
Meanwhile, it says “reading is well integrated into curriculum planning”. However, while children in primary schools get “regular opportunities to read for pleasure in inviting library spaces”, in secondaries, “reading for pleasure is an area identified as needing an increased focus”.
In secondary schools, the number of young people who read regularly for pleasure has decreased, with the report pointing to “a number of societal reasons for this, including increased use of digital devices and the ease and availability of online information”.
“This issue has been exacerbated by the reduction in the number of school librarians, the pressure on budgets to refresh book stocks and the closure of local libraries,” the report adds.
Also in secondary schools, writing skills are “often an integral part of thematic study in English lessons”. In other subjects, however, teachers “do not typically include planning for writing as part of their curriculum”.
This reflects a wider concern about literacy not being a priority for all subjects: “All secondary teachers need to develop an understanding of expectations in literacy and English across all curriculum areas.”
In primaries, “teachers need to ensure that children consistently transfer their technical writing skills into their extended writing”.
More positively, across the country, “staff are increasingly using progression pathways or developmental milestones to support literacy and English learning”, building on pupils’ previous knowledge that “supports progress from early years through to secondary education”.
‘Lack of time’ for professional learning
Meanwhile, improved professional learning has led to “improved pedagogy, targeted interventions and increased confidence in teaching literacy”.
However, there is also concern in this area: “Across all sectors, staff report a lack of time for professional learning activities in supporting literacy and English development, including moderation.
“This is impacting staff’s ability to improve the curriculum, implement and embed new approaches and respond to the increase in children and young people with an additional support need.”
One section details the importance of teachers across all levels and subjects having an interest and expertise in literacy, as this will aid transition from primary to secondary and progression more generally, especially at a time when many students start secondary school well below expected literacy levels.
The report states: “Teachers need to have a greater understanding of what achievement of a literacy level means and how this will impact course planning and pupil progression. By developing a clearer understanding of this, young people will benefit from a curriculum that better matches their needs and supports them to achieve more.”
Pace of literacy learning can be ‘too slow’
Specifically in secondary schools, the report finds: “Across the curriculum, the pace of [literacy and English] learning can be too slow. This is more acute across the BGE [broad general education] phase. Young people are often engaged in the same activities across lessons and work at the same pace, regardless of each individual’s needs.
“Young people who complete tasks and activities ahead of their peers are often given more of the same type of activity to do. They would benefit from extension tasks that would deepen their learning.”
It also states: “Most BGE classes are mixed ability, but in almost all classes, all young people access the same resources and texts. Teachers need to consider how accessible texts are for all young people and adapt as appropriate.”
The report also recaps on concerning national data showing an increasing number of children with “a literacy-related additional support need”.
It also states: “Across all sectors, practitioners and teachers are concerned about keeping up to date with developments in technology, such as the use of artificial intelligence. There are disparities across the country regarding children and young people’s access to one-to-one devices.”
In some parts of the country, “staffing is a challenge”, the report says - and some schools are “without teachers for extended periods due to recruitment issues and a shortage of suitably qualified temporary staff”.
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