More than a quarter struggle with reading and writing skills
More than a quarter of Rotorua's primary school pupils are reading and writing below the national standard and changing that won't be a simple fix, according to one principal.
Ministry of Education statistics show 28 per cent of Rotorua pupils from new entrants to Year 8 were reading below the national standard in 2013 and nearly 36 per cent were writing below the national standard. That's worse than 2012, when 24 per cent of students performed below standard.
Otonga Rd Primary School principal Linda Woon said every child started school at different learning stages.
"You will have children coming from homes without books and, of course, they are going to be at a different level to those who do have books at home."
Ms Woon said children being able to see and hear well, and their socio-economic situation all contributed to progress.
"It is important to look at how much a student is progressing rather than their achievement because a student can make mega progress but still be below the national standard."
Ms Woon said increasing literacy progress in Rotorua was not a "simple fix".
She said the Progress and Consistency Tool, to be piloted in Rotorua in Term 4, would help clearly identify where each child was against the national standard and tend to that need individually.
Westbrook Primary School principal Colin Watkins said national standard targets were unrealistic, particularly for 5-year-olds.
"First year pupils have the most aspirational of all targets and many teachers and principals have told the Ministry of Education that these are unrealistic."
Mr Watkins said a lot of children were coming to school with less oral proficiency.
"A new pupil should be starting school with a 2000-word vocabulary. With those who don't, it is taking longer to get them reading at the level they should be."
Mr Watkins said "electronic babysitters", an increase in single- parent families and a higher percentage of families with both parents working, contributed to the decline in oral literacy.
In a bid to raise standards, Excel Rotorua is developing a project on literacy and numeracy standards focusing on Years 1 and 2, and Years 7 and 8. The group is working with early childhood education providers to reduce the number of pupils starting school with oral literacy shortcomings. The initiative also includes marae-based professional development workshops for teachers.
Employers and recruitment agencies are also seeing young men and women seeking employment without basic literacy skills.
Rotorua Career Network literacy and numeracy manager Lisa Kohunui said many 16- to 18-year-olds did not sit at their age level for reading and writing.
"We put these students through an intensive literacy and numeracy course before we can refer them to further training.
"Before this course, the employment rates of these young people are y low."
Ms Kohunui said there was still a stigma around literacy and those achieving below their age group.
"Many of the people we target for this intensive course have the mentality of 'I can't read, I'm dumb, so there is no point trying to learn'. That is why we don't advertise the course. We embed it in more appealing courses so these students are not put off but still get the skill upgrade they need to be employable in any industry."