30th April 2013 9:00
By Blue Tutors
Schools inspectors Ofsted have hit out at companies who “disregard” the rules of spelling and grammar, arguing that they set a bad example for school children. Ofsted claim that some businesses give students the impression that spelling and grammar do not matter and that they are optional. Although the report didn’t name any companies in particular, they highlighted the frequent use of ‘U’ as a stand in for ‘you’, and the fact that many business and posters misuse apostrophes.
Ofsted’s report comes after schools have come under attack from businesses who complain that school leavers do not have the basic level of literacy they need to gain employment in many industries. Mike Cladingbowl at Ofsted was keen to point out that many industry players, including ubiquitous high street shops, set a bad example to school children.
Despite concerns about children’s literacy, Cambridge Assessment researchers point out that, although children are far more likely to use non-standard English than they were ten or twenty years ago, their vocabulary and sentence structures are more sophisticated today. A spokesperson for the Confederation of British Industry said that it was up to individual firms as to how they chose to market themselves. He added that ultimately it is the responsibility of schools to ensure that students leave with the fundamental literacy skills required for working life.