Schools clampdown over three Rs

Disaffected youngsters creating problems may be sent away for a few weeks to new intensive support centres to help them get back on track.

Headteachers could also be sent back to the classroom to improve their skills.

Council leaders have accepted 65 recommendations put forward by the Education Commission.

The city council will set up literacy and numeracy Easter and summer schools as well as establishing a Literacy and Numeracy Champion team in each of the 29 New Learning Communities.

"This is the most important piece of research into education in Glasgow for decades"
Steve Purcell
Glasgow City Council

Every teacher and member of support staff in every school will be expected to take responsibility of developing the basic reading, writing and numerical skills of every young person.

The Education Commission was set up in 2005 to look at ways to improve the attainment and achievement of Glasgow's children and young people.

It has produced a 118-page document which draws on the most up to date research from across the world.

Councillor Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council said: "This is the most important piece of research into education in Glasgow for decades, and it provides us with a very significant platform from which to move forward.

"We broadly accept all the report's recommendations, and will be setting up an implementation group, made up of senior elected members and officials, over the next few weeks to look at them in more detail."

He added that as a first step he would immediately accept the zero tolerance approach to poor literacy and numeracy standards.

'Magic formula'

"Everything we want to achieve for our young people stems from being able to read, write and count at an appropriate standard," he said. "That is this administration's top priority."

The report found no reason to believe that teachers and support staff in the city and others were any less qualified, competent or committed to providing an excellent education service than anywhere else in Scotland or the UK.

The commission also praised the commitment and creativity of staff dealing with some of the very difficult social and economical circumstances often experienced by Glasgow's families and young people.

Education Commission chairman Ronnie O'Connor said: "The recommendations are obviously open to debate.

"No-one believes that there is some kind of magic formula to improve attainment and achievement in this city.

"What we do believe is that significant progress can be made through generating new ideas, focussed on key themes. That's what we have tried to do in this report."

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