England has shown improvement in international reading, math, and science assessments, while Wales and Scotland experienced declines, according to the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. The latest PISA tests, taken by 760,000 15-year-olds in 91 countries – including 15,566 students in the UK – reveal a growing performance gap between England and the rest of the UK. In England, scores rose in all three subjects, while Wales saw scores fall in reading and math, and Scotland’s scores declined in reading. Wales is almost two years behind England in these subjects. However, Wales performs ahead of countries like France, Spain, and the Netherlands in science. The UK as a whole reached the top ten for all three subjects for the first time since 2006, a result largely driven by England’s performance, which comprised approximately 85% of the UK entries.
The report also highlights a worldwide decline in teenagers’ reading skills, noting a near doubling of “hasty readers” – those who quickly scan texts and provide incorrect answers – between 2018 and 2025, particularly among students from affluent families. The OECD report warns that these declining skills impact the ability to critically evaluate information, a skill deemed crucial in the age of AI. England’s schools minister, Georgia Gould, stated the government aims to “build on” the positive results and ensure strong literacy and numeracy for all students, citing Estonia as a model for combining academic excellence with vocational training. The government recently announced technical subjects will be available to students from age 14.
However, Laura Trott, England’s shadow education secretary, attributed the successes to previous reforms and accused the current government of attempting to “sabotage” them. The Daily Mail reported that the results have ignited a standards row, with the Conservative party claiming their 2010-2014 curriculum reforms were responsible for England’s success. The tests were taken shortly after the Conservatives lost power, and during their tenure English testing shifted towards rigorous, knowledge-rich curriculums. In Wales, the results largely reflect learning under an older curriculum, which has recently been changed, according to Anna Brychan.
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