PISA results and what they mean for UK Education

A look at the OECD’s programme for international student assessment (PISA) 2018 results for Science and Maths, published last week.

PISA tests the ability of 15-year olds across a large range of countries. The tests occur every three years, cycling through Science, English and Maths – 2018 was focused on reading, with some questions on science and maths which we look at here.

The results for the UK are split across the four nations of the UK as all four have separate education systems. The information here has been taken from the PISA Key Findings document published by the National Foundation for Educational Research.

Science

In science pupils in England scored significantly higher than those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the OECD average. Pupils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all scored results that were all similar to the OECD average. While results in England were stable when compared to previous years, the continued downward trend in performance in the other three nations is concerning.

In England the attainment gap – that is the gap between the highest and lowest achievers – was larger than the OECD average. This means that while there are many high achieving pupils there are also a large number of under-achieving pupils, which could be a cause for concern. It is important that a high overall score doesn’t mask the fact that there is a risk of some children being left behind.

While girls outperformed boys in science in Northern Ireland there was no difference between performance of boys and girls in the other three nations.

Maths

In maths the overall picture was similar: pupils in England scored significantly higher than those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the OECD average. Pupils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all scored similar results that were around the OECD average. However, the trends are different; England and Wales have improved their maths score over time whereas Scotland has declined, and Northern Ireland has been stable.

Interpretation

The decline in scores in Maths and Science in Scotland is particularly concerning. It could be related to difficulty in attracting and retaining teachers, with the NFER finding that nearly half of headteachers in Scotland say that a lack of teaching staff hinders teaching, compared to around a quarter in the rest of the UK. For England, at least, this is a reduction from the last survey in 2015 when 45% of headteachers highlighted a shortage of teaching staff as an issue. This suggests that efforts to attract and retain teachers could be having an impact – however, it is impossible to tell from this data alone.

It is by coincidence that these PISA results have been published during an election campaign and it has been suggested that these PISA results offer a reflection on reforms to the education system in England introduced by Michael Gove when he was Secretary of State for Education. However, while PISA results are enlightening and a helpful international comparison, if they are to be used to affect education strategy, the results should be interpreted with care and considered as part of a much wider evidence base.

You can find out more about the PISA results here.