International Comparisons

Question: If he will take steps to improve literacy levels in England against international benchmarks.

Answer: England has participated in two recent international comparative studies: PIRLS, the progress in international reading literacy study, which looks at 10-year-olds' reading attainment; and PISA, the programme for international student assessment, which is on 15-year-olds' attainment in science, with limited surveys of reading and mathematics. Both enjoyed much higher levels of participation by other countries than previous studies. Independent analysis shows that educational standards in this country continue to improve. We have moved from below average to above average, but, as we said in the children's plan, we have further to go to achieve world-class standards. We have also recently commissioned a piece of research to benchmark our primary curriculum against high-performing countries in literacy, numeracy and science, the results of which will feed in to the review of the primary curriculum.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 469 c577; 174112
Session: 2007-08
Oral question type: Lead
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Curriculum Education Primary education Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Standards Science Literacy Numeracy Programme for International Student Assessment
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk