Calling on Sir Terry in skills battle.

A SENIOR councillor in Birmingham is calling on the head of a national supermarket giant for support in raising the skill level of city school leavers.

Coun Jon Hunt, chairman of the city's children and education scrutiny committee, has written to Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy inviting him to help their own investigation into classroom standards.

Sir Terry, who recently delivered a stinging attack on the "woeful" school standards in Britain, has been invited to attend a meeting of the council's review group in Birmingham on November 25.

The city's investigation, which will involve meeting local businesses on ways of raising skills among school leavers, is particularly focused on raising functional literacy and numeracy.

One study by employers' organisation, the CBI, found that 52 per cent of employers are dissatisfied with the basic literacy of school leavers and 50 per cent with their basic numeracy.

In his letter to the Tesco chief executive, Coun Hunt that the council is planning to meet industry and business representatives to obtain their views and concerns about skill levels.

"Our focus, in particular, is functional literacy and numeracy and how we can ensure all school leavers have it," Coun Hunt added.