The Welsh Government has defended Wales’ education system after it scored poorly in international tests.
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests are carried out every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
It tests the ability of 15-year-olds in maths, reading and science. In all three areas, Wales is lagging behind England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, as it did in 2006, 2009 and 2012.
In maths, Wales scored 478, below England and Northern Ireland which both scored 493 and Scotland which scored 491.
In reading, Wales came last in the UK with 477, England scored 500, Northern Ireland 497 and Scotland 493.
In science, Wales scored 485, England scored 512, Northern Ireland 500 and Scotland 497.
Wales’ scores were below the average of the 72 countries taking part in the PISA tests and were worse than the results in 2006.
Just under 3,500 pupils in Wales were tested across 140 secondary schools, including 24 Welsh medium schools.
Welsh Education Secretary Kirsty Williams AM said: “We can all agree we are not yet where we want to be. While we have seen a ten-point lift in our maths score, the results for science are disappointing.
“Last month I invited the OECD to look at how we are doing in Wales; their advice to me was unambiguous: ‘Stay the course, be brave, you are doing the right things’.
“The hard work is underway. We have plans in place to develop an excellent professional workforce, a new curriculum and we are introducing robust qualifications that will be nationally and internationally respected. But we recognise that there is more to do.”
She added: “The easy thing to do would be rip up the plan and start again. But we owe it to our pupils, parents and the profession to do what is right.”
The Welsh Conservatives said the results marked a “decade of underachievement”.
Darren Millar AM, Welsh Conservative spokesman for Education, said: “In spite of all the tough talking and promises to do better. [The] figures place us, yet again, in the bottom half of the global education league table and re-confirm Wales’ status as the worst performing school system in the UK.
“That our results in 2015 were actually worse than in 2006 signifies a decade of underachievement and is a scandal of monumental proportions.
“Instead of downplaying the importance of these results for our young people and the future of the Welsh economy, the Cabinet Secretary must go back to the drawing board to develop a clear strategy with measurable targets that will turn this performance around – our children and our young people deserve nothing less.”
Plaid Cymru was equally scathing in its response.
Llyr Gruffydd AM said: “[The] results show the Labour Welsh Government has failed, failed and failed again when it comes to our children’s futures.”
He added: “Teachers throughout Wales carry out vital work in extremely difficult circumstances. Due to the Labour government’s incompetence they have been saddled with unnecessarily large workloads and forced to endure fruitless reforms.”
I do not find the results of PISA surprising, Wales has not done well but the whole of the UK has nothing to boast about. I am not involved in teaching but have spent decades training young workers.
From my point of view the UK needs to adopt a model that has been proven to work. Grammar schools and Secondary Modern is one system that did work though there are others that do as well. The comprehensive system of Finland is an example.
To go with a workable structure we need teachers that are well educated themselves. This seems self evident but there are teachers out there who are not expert in their field, for instance I know a history teacher who believes that the Netherlands and Holland are two separate countries.
It should not be difficult to return to a good general education but I fear that politics just gets in the way, not just the views of politicians but the views of the educational establishment who have failed the children of out nation for many years and do not seem to be amenable to change but are happy to pick up big salaries for producing mediocrity.
Well done Welsh Labour you have failed a generation, devolution clearly does not work, Welsh Labour want to educate to the lowest common denominator, make all the pupils equal by dragging the whole class down to the level of the worst rather than stretching the clever kids to reach a higher level – sometimes the stragglers need to be culled for the good of the group, not in Wales because that’s not fair is it. Bring back Grammar schools, encourage the best to excel and stop pandering to the dead wood, and parents need to take responsibility it’s their job also to educate their children, simply dressing it and taking it to school does not a good parent make.