England's Schools Buck International Downward Trend in Pisa Results, Guardian Editorial Says
An opinion piece in The Guardian argues that England's 15-year-olds have held up well in reading, maths and science compared with other countries, even as other UK nations lagged behind.
An editorial published by The Guardian on September 8, 2026, states that teachers, headteachers, children, parents and politicians in England should feel proud of the country's schools, which the piece says have "bucked a disappointing international trend."
According to the editorial, results from 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science have held up well compared with 90 other countries, citing data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).
The piece reports that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland did not match England's success in reading and maths, although it notes that all four UK nations scored well in science.
The editorial also addresses concerns about declining reading habits among children, stating that England's results show no decline in reading capability since 2022, when the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) last published Pisa results.
The Guardian editorial attributes part of this performance to a policy decision to place greater emphasis on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects at both primary and secondary school levels, suggesting this approach has "seemingly borne fruit."
The Guardian has invited readers to submit responses of up to 300 words for possible publication in its letters section.
Sources
- The Guardian view on English schools: teachers and pupils should be proud of bucking a downward trend | Editorial — The Guardian — Politics
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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