Literacy

Literacy is the foundation of everything that we do. Without it children cannot access the curriculum and, more importantly, they will be seriously limited in their options when leaving school.

It is my belief that children have a right to literacy and that it is vital that schools deliver.

Some Facts:

• Two thirds of pupils with serious behaviour problems have literacy problems 
• 65% of young people in YOIs have communication difficulties 
• 47% of employers cannot get recruits with the communication skills they need 65% of prisoners have literacy problems 
• 15% of NEETs are dead within 10 years of leaving school 
• 2% of fsm pupils get in to Russell Group universities 
• Only other country with such high disparity in achievement is Israel

All teachers should ‘demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject’.

Teaching Standards, DfE, 2011