The Scottish Conservatives have said that they want ‘rigorous literacy and numeracy testing by P7 in our schools, to address a worrying decline in standards’.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative Education Spokesperson, said: “In recent years, it is clear that the standard of literacy and numeracy for many school leavers, and even for some graduates, has not been what employers expect.
“If our children are to reach the basic standards in reading, writing and arithmetic, then it is essential that all teachers have the ability to help them get there. Good literacy and numeracy are so important when it comes to taking full advantage of more opportunities later on in life.
“That is why Scottish Conservatives want more rigorous literacy and numeracy testing, set against nationally agreed criteria, for all pupils by the time they reach the end of Primary 7.
“Councils in Clackmannanshire, East Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire have proved what can be done to raise standards – including those amongst more disadvantaged pupils – by returning to traditional methods of teaching and testing the 3Rs in primary schools. That is what we need right across Scotland.
“It is common sense to strive for the best possible literacy and numeracy in our schools, and that’s exactly what Scottish Conservatives will do. Every voter in every seat in every region of Scotland can vote for these common sense policies on May 5th.”
