PRIMARY school pupils in Helensburgh and Lomond are outperforming both the regional and national averages in literacy and numeracy, a report has revealed.

Figures as high as 96 per cent have been recorded in assessments of pupils in primaries one, four and seven for reading, writing, talking and listening, and numeracy.

However, the same document also shows that only three of the 12 primary schools in the area have seen an increase in pupil numbers since 2019/20.

The details are revealed in a report which will go before Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee on Tuesday, March 12.

Data relating to Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels shows a score of 95 per cent for P7 pupils in listening and talking in the 2022/23 session.

The same age group also recorded scores of 85 per cent for reading, 84 per cent for writing, and 89 per cent for numeracy.

At P4 level, the score for listening and talking was even higher at 96 per cent. Pupils at that stage recorded further scores of 88 per cent for reading, 83 per cent for writing, and 87 per cent for numeracy.

Meanwhile, P1 pupils recorded 91 per cent for listening and talking, 86 per cent for reading, 82 per cent for writing and 87 per cent for numeracy.

All 12 of those figures were either above or equal to the numbers for Scotland, and for Argyll and Bute as a whole.

In relation to the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach, the report said: “Since August, two schools have been implementing the Talk for Writing approach across the whole school, the approach aims to improve children’s ability to articulate their ideas for writing and support them to ensure that they can then transfer these ideas onto paper.

“An additional school is implementing this at early level with a clear plan for whole school implementation in August 2024. Clear aims have been set for each class, the achievement of which will be measured following the next tracking and monitoring period.”

However, the report also shows that 200 fewer pupils are currently attending Helensburgh and Lomond’s 12 council-run primary schools than five years ago.

Particularly sharp percentage decreases have been seen at Arrochar Primary School (40 per cent – 65 to 39) and John Logie Baird Primary School (32 per cent – 135 to 92).

Colgrain Primary School also has nearly 60 fewer pupils than it did in 2019/20, going from 314 to 256 - a drop of 18 per cent.

Parklands School in Helensburgh has seen its primary pupil numbers treble over the same period, going from 10 to 30, while Luss and Cardross have also seen small increases to their rolls.