UK pupils score highly in international tests despite global slump in reading
But the Pisa test scores vary significantly between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
In the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) tests, UK teenagers displayed strong performance in science, reading, and mathematics. Despite maintaining steady rankings, the UK fell behind top-performing nations like Singapore, Estonia, and parts of China, but outperformed the US, Australia, and other major European countries.
However, the Pisa report highlighted a worldwide decline in teenagers' reading skills. England’s schools minister, Georgia Gould, emphasized the government’s desire to build on positive results and improve literacy and numeracy among young people. The Pisa tests, conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), evaluate problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and educational questionnaire responses among 15-year-olds.
Notably, England’s rankings varied significantly, with Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales lagging behind. The 2025 Pisa tests involved 760,000 15-year-olds from 91 countries, with 15,566 students from the UK participating in 515 schools. Gould cited Estonia as an example of combining academic excellence with vocational routes.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott criticized the new government for attempting to sabotage previous reforms. The Pisa report also warned of a global decline in reading skills, particularly among well-off families, with hasty readers - those who skim through texts for quick, inaccurate answers - increasing almost twofold since 2018.
Andreas Schleicher, OECD's director of education, emphasized the importance of reading skills, noting that students' ability to comprehend complex texts declined by two school years over a decade. Schools like Meadow Park in Coventry are implementing strategies such as weekly book club discussions and investing in diverse book selections to improve reading abilities.
A mobile phone ban has also been introduced at the school to minimize distractions. The report further cautioned about the potential negative effects of excessive AI usage on students, suggesting governments should establish clear guidelines and consider targeted AI applications to aid teaching rather than providing quick answers.
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