A jump from England’s rank from eight to enter the top five, in the current results in the progress in international reading literacy study, known as Pirls. With regard to the tests which was conducted every five years, the study places countries in a universal education league table.
The children aged between 9 and 10 years, the Pirls tests are taken generally from students in year 5, in England, by the end of school year. According to the tests which was held in 2021, assessed nearly 400,000 students in 57 countries. But 14 of those- including Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland delayed testing to the beginning of the next school year, due to the disruption caused by the covid pandemic, since the students were older when they took part.
Direct comparison should be made with great care for those 14 countries, was said by the international association for the evaluation of educational achievement (IEA) which runs the study.
Northern Ireland ranked fifth when included in comparison- up from joint 6th in the testing which was held previously. The IEA mentioned that England reliably compared with other countries, even though is pushed back testing, until 2022 to avoid disruption due to covid, since it tested the same age group as the other countries.
With an average score of 587, Singapore scored the highest result from those ranking. Second was Hong Kong with an average score 573, 567 score followed by Russia, and England scored 558.
Scotland and Wales did not submit results, to Pirls, but Scotland is supposed to join the next cycle.
Nick Gibb, school minister said, England’s success was aided by government reforms, which includes a focus on phonics, where it helps the child to read by using sounds, and for teachers to place reading at the heart of everything they do.
Overall, from all the ranked countries, girls were ahead of boys in their reading achievement. But from the recent testing rounds the gender gap has narrowed.
Day after a year 6 Sats reading paper, the Pirls results were in, where some parents said that it was so hard and left children in tears. Last year Sats results showed the overall standards in writing, reading and math’s had slipped among year 6 students in England. Due to the pandemic, though individual subject results showed slight increase in reading levels with 74% of students meeting, the expected standard, up from 73% in 2019.
By 2030, the government intends to achieve 90% of students, who are leaving primary school to reach the expected standards in math’s, writing and reading.
