Literacy – The Current Situation

Literacy – The Current Situation Swansea SENCOs March 2011

The International, national and local drivers • PISA • The School Effectiveness framework • Estyn • Local directive

PISA • 65 countries; • Mean score of 476 in reading below and significantly different from OECD average of 493; • 3 processes • - Access and retrieve information (472) • - Integrate and interpret information (472) • - Reflect and evaluate form, features and purpose (483)

In practical terms this means: 780,000 children, young people and adults in Wales have literacy and numeracy problems. The implications of this: - they are up to 5x more likely to be unemployed; - they are over-represented in prisons and young offenders institutions; - they are more likely to have children who also struggle with basic skills.

‘PISA test the skills that should be at the core of the curriculum. The failure in Wales even to maintain what was a disappointing position in the results of the 2006 assessment raise many questions about our education system.’ Anne Keane – Chief Inspector Estyn

‘These results are disappointing. They show an unacceptable fall in our overall performance – everyone involved in the education sector in Wales should be alarmed… These results have made it clear that schools in Wales are simply not delivering well enough for students of all levels of ability… The young people of Wales have the same potential as young people across the world. We need to refocus on higher standards, set our ambitions and expectations high and look for improvement in every aspect of our system. Let me be clear – we need to address this as a matter of absolute urgency.’ The Minister for Children, Education Lifelong learning and skills December 7th. 2010

‘These results cannot be argued away or excused. We need to face up to the hard truth: the education system in Wales is not delivering the outcomes that our young people need and deserve… PISA I’m afraid, is a wake-up call to a complacent system. There are no alibis or excuses. It is evidence of systematic failure. But, as I always say, never waste a crisis.’ The Minister for Children, Education Lifelong learning and skills December 7th. 2010

The School Effectiveness Framework The SEF is the overarching policy framework that seeks to transform educational standards and provision in Wales through the next decade and beyond. It is Wales’ key policy for education reform and the one to which all other education policies are aligned. www.sefcymru.org

The School Effectiveness framework – Aims and Objectives • Achieving better learner outcomes and wellbeing for all children and young people regardless of their socio-economic background; • Reducing the variation in learning outcomes within and between classrooms, schools and local authorities.

The three national priorities on which the SEF is focused: • improved literacy levels; • improved numeracy levels; • reducing the impact of poverty on educational attainment.

Recommendations • Increase PLCs – focus on SEF targets; Literacy, Numeracy and reducing child poverty • Data empowers people – family comparisons are important, we should learn from each other; • Robust Monitoring • All teachers are teachers of literacy; • More prescriptive ITT; • Top 20 PISA scores by 2015; • Ours is not a good system aiming to become great. Ours is a fair system aiming to be good.

Standards unit to be created; • Baseline assessment in F.Ph; • Address variability in teachers’ practice in F.Ph; • National reading test for 7s – 11s from September 2011; • Catch up programmes and programmes to stretch the highest ability; • LEAs to ensure robust assessment, particularly at the end of KS2; • All teachers to demonstrate appropriate levels of literacy and numeracy;

2 years masters course for ITT – required to pass a literacy and numeracy test; • One INSET day per year to focus on literacy and numeracy assessment for all teachers; • Grading of schools; • All pupils to make at least 1 calendar year’s progress in a school year; • School development plan to be endorsed by governors should have aspirational targets;

Failing schools will be closed; • There will be statutory training for governors; • No school will pass the inspection process unless they prove that governors have discussed data; • There will be a change in performance management to ensure closer monitoring of standards; • Teacher induction – the first 3 years will focus on literacy, numeracy and behaviour management; • CPD will be linked to 3 priorities - literacy, numeracy and tackling the effects of poverty;

Estyn – Evaluating and Tracking • In evaluating skills, we need to focus on whether all pupils have the skills in communication, numeracy and ICT needed to access the whole curriculum, and how well the wider curriculum itself develops pupils’ skills. Overall, we need to give the most weight to literacy skills, particularly reading and writing, as these are likely to have the greatest impact on improving access to all areas of the curriculum; • We need to consider outcomes from the results of relevant assessments, such as those of pupils’ reading ability, where available.

Estyn – Skills Provision • Questions we should consider about pupils’ skills: • Do all pupils, including those with English as an additional language, have the skills in communication, numeracy and ICT needed to access the whole curriculum? • Do pupils develop skills well in the wider curriculum? • Do pupils achieve well in other relevant assessments, such as those of their reading ability? • Do pupils apply their skills without support? • Do pupils who are involved in ‘Catch up’ programmes achieve well?

Estyn – Skills Provision • Questions we should consider about how well we provide for skills: • To what extent do learning activities across the curriculum meet pupils’ needs in gaining and using skills, particularly the literacy skills of reading and writing? • Do we make sure pupils’ development of skills takes place equally well in Welsh and/or English? • Is the provision for skills properly co-ordinated so that there is coherence in pupils’ experiences across the curriculum? • Is the provision for skills monitored and evaluated across the curriculum?

Estyn – Thinking about under-attainers • Questions we should consider about how well we meet the needs of pupils who under-attain: • Do we have effective arrangements for the identification and monitoring of under-attainers? • Do these pupils receive the short-term or long-term support that they need? • Do grouping and support systems meet the range of pupils’ needs without adversely affecting the breadth, balance and continuity of the pupils’ curriculum?

Wave One Tailored teaching in class • Involves all staff • High quality teaching, supported by effective whole school policies and frameworks, targeting pupils’ needs • Derives from Scheme of work • Informed by transition data and tracking • Focuses on inclusive, interactive and varied teaching strategies • Involves AFL

Wave Two Targeted Intervention Support Programmes • Additional intervention • Time limited • Appropriate support • Monitored and adapted as necessary • Aims to accelerate progress, catch up and secure learning • Puts pupils back on track quickly • Carefully targeted • Supported additional to lessons or small group work within class

Wave Three Wave One and Individualised Support • One-to-one • Focused and intensive – more than once a week • Carefully monitored • Regularly assessed and modified • Based on diagnostic assessment of learner’s needs

Role of the Literacy Coordinator Involves • Analysis of Core Data with colleagues • Identification of trends in data • Identification of areas for development in Literacy • Action Planning – target setting for improvement

Task - Core Data • Consider the data • Are you happy? • What are the problem areas? • Where will you start? Prioritise the needs of your pupils • What will you do?

Drilling down beneath the data

Stage 2 Monitoring Looking closely at the teaching and learning in the focus area • Stage 1/Stage 8 • Core Data Analysis • Impact of previous action • Define areas for development • Stage 3 • Reflection • Reflecting on the evidence • Clarifying the types of issues presenting DRILLING DOWN BENEATH THE DATA • Stage 7 • Periodic Review Meetings • Sharing developments • Supporting one another • Checking progress of action • Stage 4 • Create Action Plan • Define the objectives/targets • Feed into SDP • Stage 6 • Training and Preparation • Issue staff with all necessary documents • Address any training needs • Stage 5 • Dissemination • Share action plan with all staff • Conduct needs analysis

Stage 1 Analysis of Core Data set • Involvement of all teaching staff. • Collaboration - shared understanding of standards within school, county, family and national contexts. • Reach conclusions – interpreting trends, curves, dips etc. • Acknowledgement and evaluation of impact of previous school action. • Identification of areas for improvement e.g Oracy, Reading or Writing

Stage 2 Drilling down – Monitoring literacy with attention on focus area e.g. Writing. • Monitoring to include analysis of teaching and learning provision relating to focus area at each stage within Foundation Phase. (Also see “Effective Monitoring Model”)

Stage 3 Reflection on Monitoring exercise. • Drawing conclusions and defining the types of writing issues presenting in school e.g. Evidence shows little or no punctuation used in any class or story writing is an issue across the whole phase.

Stage 4 Development of Action Plan to set targets for improvement. • Defining the aims, action steps, success criteria, costs, resource/training implications and timescale. • In collaboration with SMT, action plan for Literacy to feature in school development plan.

Stage 5 Dissemination of Action Plan • Share plan with all teachers and support staff • Ensure all personnel are aware of their role in working towards achieving objectives • Needs analysis?

Stage 6 Tackling needs to overcome barriers to success • Ensure even distribution of all relevant materials and documentation (no gaps for new teachers/NQTs/teachers returning from long-term absences etc) • Staff training • Peer mentoring to share good practice • Audit/Purchase resources to support action

Stage 7 Periodic Review meetings • Staff to share work from their classes • Review progress • Colleagues to engage in professional dialogue to support and guide one another

Stage 8 Analysis of Core Data set • Involvement of all teaching staff. • Collaboration - shared understanding of standards within school, county, family and national contexts. • Reach conclusions – interpreting trends, curves, dips etc. • Acknowledgement and evaluation of impact of previous school action. • Identification of areas for improvement e.g Oracy, Reading or Writing

Points to consider • Data should inform target setting • Literacy should feature annually on school development plan • All staff should know and understand the targets • Monitoring and evaluation – gradual but constant process (cycle)

Is there really a boy problem?

Is the problem new?

There can scarce be a greater defect in a gentleman, than not to express himself well either in writing or in speaking…yet there are a great many…who cannot so much tell a story as they should, much less speak clearly and persuasively in any business 1693 – John Locke ‘Some thoughts concerning education Girls come to you to learn; boys have to be driven. 1868 – Schools Inquiry Commission Girls on the whole are more conscientious in their attitude towards their work. Many girls will work on a subject they dislike. No healthy boy ever does! It is well known that most boys, especially at the period of adolescence, have a habit of healthy idleness 1923 – Board of Education Report 1930 – Modern language teaching

What is the problem?

Differences in development • The gap in language skills between boys and girls exists even before they begin school; • Girls have better levels of social development than boys especially in relation to cooperation, conformity, independence and concentration; • Girls have higher attainment than boys on all cognitive outcomes; • Girls make greater gains in pre-reading skills, early number concepts and non verbal reasoning than boys over the pre-school period. • Estyn: Closing the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in schools March 2008

Attitudes to learning • Girls are far more likely than boys to adapt to learning which is based on large amounts of listening, reading and writing; • Girls are less likely than boys to become restless if they have to sit and listen for long periods; • Girls often respond better than boys to activities that involve extended writing ; • More girls than boys are prepared to tackle lengthy pieces of work and persevere with them, even without regular feedback from teachers. • Estyn: Closing the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in schools March 2008

Behavioural factors • Greater numbers of boys are likely to be affected by negative peer pressure than girls, making them more willing to react against authority and engage in disruptive behaviour; • Many more boys than girls experience criticism and a sense of failure in school. This, in turn, generates low self esteem; • Girls are more likely to give high status to hard –working, high achieving pupils; • Many more boys than girls have serious, but usually unrealistic ambitions to be famous sportsmen, rock stars or simply ‘rich and famous’; • Estyn: Closing the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in schools March 2008

Boys are much more confident and relaxed about their ability to cope with tests and examinations; • Boys are much more prominent among under- achieving pupils. They frequently show poor study skills, a lack of organisation and negative attitudes to work. Estyn: Closing the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in schools March 2008

Home Learning Environment • Reading to children; • Teaching children songs and nursery rhymes; • Playing with letters and numbers; • Painting and drawing; • Taking children to libraries; • Creating regular opportunities for playing with friends.

Social factors • There is some evidence that parents interact differently with boys and girls • Many observers also feel that the significant economic decline since the early 1980s of heavy and manufacturing industries, has had a negative impact on the aspirations and motivations of a significant minority of boys in those areas most affected. • Estyn: Closing the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in schools March 2008

Role models • Only about 15% of primary school teachers are male, and recruitment figures suggest that this percentage will decline further; • A significant minority of boys have little or no contact with their fathers, and many have little contact with males at home.

‘ …role models from the wider world have always affected children’s behaviour and aspirations When 5,000 parents were asked which fictional character they felt influenced the way their children behaved, top of the list, rather depressingly, was Bart Simpson.’ Bart’s most famous quote, according to The Simpsons quotes web site, is “I’m through with working, working is for chumps.” Response from Homer: ‘Son, I’m proud of you. I was twice your age before I figured that one out.’ From ‘Toxic Childhood’ Sue Palmer

Literacy – The Current Situation