WIREDGOV

A National Statistics Publication for Scotland

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today published numeracy results from the 2015 Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy. Over the three surveys (2011, 2013 and 2015) the results show that the proportion of P4 pupils that performed well or very well decreased between 2011 and 2013, and again, slightly, between 2013 and 2015. At P7, performance stabilised between 2013 and 2015, after an initial fall between 2011 and 2013. S2 performance remained the same across all three survey years.

Sixty-six per cent of P4 and P7 pupils performed well or very well in numeracy in 2015, when assessed against Curriculum for Excellence First and Second Level, respectively. Forty per cent of S2 pupils, when assessed against Third Level (which spans S1 – S3), performed well or very well.

Boys outperformed girls in numeracy at S2, whereas there was no difference in the proportion of boys and girls performing well or very well at either P4 or P7. Pupils from the least deprived areas demonstrated stronger performance compared to the most deprived pupils in numeracy at all stages.

Notes To Editors

The SSLN is an annual sample survey which monitors national performance in literacy and numeracy in alternate years, for school pupils at P4, P7 and S2. About 10,500 pupils and 2,200 schools took part in the survey in 2015.

The full statistical publication is available at: www.gov.scot/stats/bulletins/01220

SSLN results are used by Scottish Government to monitor performance in literacy and numeracy over time. Further in-depth analysis of the results is also conducted which inform resources for practitioners to facilitate improvements in learning, teaching and assessment at classroom level.

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/About