Pupils perform 'significantly better' than UK average

Guernsey education specialists Clare Sealy and Joanne Siddall helped shape a new national writing framework

Guernsey pupils perform "significantly better" in literacy and English than the UK average, the head of education improvement has said.

Clare Sealy said 40% of the island's key stage two pupils were exceeding benchmark expectations for their age, compared with 23% of pupils in the UK.

The States said Ms Sealy and Joanne Siddall, part of Guernsey's Education Office, were also members of an expert panel which had devised a new national writing framework launched this month by the UK Department for Education.

Officials said their contribution helped to showcase the island's "strong primary education provision".

'Real transformation'

Guernsey officials said a focus on handwriting, encouraging children to express themselves in spoken language and a renewed focus on reception classrooms were part of the UK government's framework.

Ms Siddall, Guernsey's primary education development officer, and Ms Sealy helped shape the guidance to ensure it reflected the "research and the realities of classroom practice", the States said.

Experiences from La Houguette Primary School, which followed the approach for more than a year, were used to shape the frameworks.

Headteacher Claire Judd said the school had seen a "real transformation" in how pupils approached writing, adding there had already been improvements in "fluency and confidence".

'Leading the way'

Ms Sealy said: "It has been fantastic to contribute to this national framework, helping to share our best practice, and shape and guide classrooms nationally about how best to teach children vital writing skills."

Ms Siddall said States primary schools were "leading the way in using current educational research" to hone writing skills.

"The schools that have implemented a sentence knowledge curriculum have seen big improvements in writing, and we look forward to continuing to share our sector-leading work with schools locally and further afield," she added.