School targets to put focus on high achievers

An increased focus on maths and ensuring that high achievers are catered for will be among revised literacy and numeracy targets for schools.

Education Minister Richard Bruton has also set new targets for reading and maths scores across the country as a result of most earlier benchmarks being met by teachers and schools well ahead of schedule.

He yesterday published a mid-term review of his department’s 2011-20 literacy and numeracy strategy, which highlighted the need to revise the education system’s ambitions upwards.