Scotland Falls in PISA International Rankings for Maths, Reading and Science

Earlier today the 2015 Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) study was published. This is a worldwide study based on the testing of samples of 15 year old pupils in each country. The results are organised into international league tables. 

The 2015 PISA results show: Scotland declining in reading; Scotland declining in mathematics; Scotland declining in science; falling behind more countries across the world. 

• In reading, Scotland’s OECD rank has gone from 6th in 2000 to 23rd in 2015. 
• In mathematics Scotland has gone from 9th in 2003 to 24th in 2015 and 
• In science Scotland is now 19th, compared to 10th in 2006. 

These are very poor and disappointing results. 

Responsibility for Education in Scotland is fully devolved to the Scottish Government. After ten years of SNP government at Holyrood they must take some responsibility for this decline. They should wake up to the fact that their year-on-year cuts to Council budgets for schools, their failure to train sufficient numbers of Teachers and Early Years Practitioners is damaging the life chances of our children. 

The SNP government in Edinburgh should halt their damaging plans to restructure and instead use the parliament’s powers to invest, through our Councils, in our teachers. Improving the quality of teaching and learning in our classrooms is the best determinant for improving pupil attainment.