Low marks: report shows UK education is lagging behind

Despite the UK spending more than average on education, there has been “no change” in the country’s abilities in the basics, according to the 2012 results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).

The tests, sat by than half a million 15-year-olds from 65 countries, show that the UK came 21st in science, 23rd in reading and 26th in maths.

The UK’s scores for maths and reading were broadly in line with the average in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Teenagers in the UK achieved similar results to those in France, Norway and the Czech Republic.

In science, they fared better, achieving results above the OECD average, putting them on a par with pupils in Ireland, Austria, Australia and New Zealand.

But British teenagers lag far behind Shanghai (China), Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan in each of the areas tested.

Think you can do better? Try one of the sample questions in the OECD test

Needs improvement

The OECD concluded that across all three subjects the UK’s performance has not improved since the last Pisa tests in 2009.

Andreas Schleicher, from the OECD, said: “The relative standing and the absolute standing of the UK is really unchanged. In essence you can say that the UK stands where it stood in 2009.”

The US spends more than the OECD average on education, but the think tank said that moderate or high spending per pupil does not automatically equate to particularly high or low performance.

Within the UK, results were highest in Scotland, followed by England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Pupils from an immigrant background in the UK performed as well in maths as other students, whereas in many other OECD countries they scored significantly lower.

Mr Schleicher said that the results could not be used to judge the coalition government’s education reforms.

Pisa results

In the 2012 tests, 15-year-old boys in the UK out-performed girls in maths and science, but did not do as well in reading.

Pupils in Wales achieved lower results in all three subjects than 15-year-olds in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

Scotland was top, with an average point score of 498, compared with 495 in England, 487 in Northern Ireland, and 468 in Wales.

Education Secretary Michael Gove blamed the previous Labour government, saying: “These poor results show the last government failed to secure the improvements in school standards our young people desperately need.

“Labour poured billions of pounds into schools and ratcheted up exam grades, yet our education system stagnated and we fell behind other nations.”

But shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said: “The Pisa report is a big wake-up call. Eastern dominance centres on the importance that these high performing education systems place on the quality and status of the teaching profession as the central lever for driving up standards.

“This report exposes the failings of this government’s schools policy: a policy that has sent unqualified teachers into the classroom and prevented effective collaboration between schools.”

‘Unforgiving global race’

Mike Harris, head of education and skills at the Institute of Directors, said: “The generation of young people tested for the latest OECD Pisa report will be looking for jobs in a competitive and unforgiving global race.

“Countries with an unrelenting focus on the quality and rigour of their education system will be the ones who win that race. Unfortunately, thanks to historic complacency, the UK appears to have its feet shackled at the starting line.”

Katja Hall, chief policy director at the Confederation of British Industry, said: “These figures should be a wake-up call. UK schools are treading water when we know that matching the very best could boost the growth rate by one percentage point every year.”

Ian Bauckham, president of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “When it comes to improving performance in education, this set of Pisa results shows how important it is to have an underlying belief that success is possible for all, regardless of disadvantage or background.

“The most successful countries have zero tolerance of failure, from parents to politicians.”