Angela Constance challenges teachers over literacy

Scottish teachers have been challenged to do more to close the attainment gap in Scotland, according to Education Secretary Angela Constance.

In a keynote speech to University of Glasgow’s Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change last night, Constance said no methods of improvement would be “off the table” when it came to improving the performance of pupils in basic skills like reading and writing.

The comments follow recent results from the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy, which found literacy levels in Scottish schools in decline. The same survey last year showed a drop in levels of numeracy.

"The results… show that we need to step up the pace of change. Frankly, it's not good enough that some children appear to be doing less well in basic skills the older they get.

"The survey also found that, if we take away English teachers, fewer than 20 per cent of secondary teachers think that reading and writing is vital to their curriculum area.

"I'm astonished at this, frankly. And if it is the case, then we must change those attitudes and do more to support our schools and teachers, to raise the quality of teaching in literacy across other curriculum areas."

She challenged teachers to understand the challenges of poverty on their pupils better, “and all, not some, teachers must play their part.”

She added: “It will never be acceptable for poverty to be an excuse for failure. Parents, teachers, academics, local and central government – all owe it to the children of Scotland – to rise to the challenge of inequalities that persists within our education system.”

But teaching unions branded the comments “unfair” when education budgets are being squeezed, while local authority umbrella body COSLA said the comments vindicated the position it had taken over trying to reduce teacher numbers.

Professor Christopher Chapman, Chair in Educational Policy and Practice and Director of the Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change, said: “I very much welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s focus on raising the attainment of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, which is a priority for this centre.”

The centre would support reform efforts with research, he said.