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| Asians top of school tables - England in maths top 10 | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent | By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent |
| Asian countries have taken top places in global school rankings for maths, science and reading, with England and Northern Ireland among high performers. | |
| US academics have published international comparisons of standards in key subjects - using tests taken in 2011 by pupils in over 60 countries. | |
| It shows that Northern Ireland is Europe's top performing education system for primary maths. | It shows that Northern Ireland is Europe's top performing education system for primary maths. |
| England has slipped in science, but is top 10 for primary and secondary maths. | |
| The top places in this global education league table have been taken by Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea. Finland is among the highest placed among European countries. | |
| Such comparisons have become increasingly influential - measuring pupils against the standards of international competitor countries. | Such comparisons have become increasingly influential - measuring pupils against the standards of international competitor countries. |
| Globalisation in the jobs market and the economy has seen education ministers wanting to benchmark pupils' achievement against current international rivals, rather than measure exam results against national standards. | Globalisation in the jobs market and the economy has seen education ministers wanting to benchmark pupils' achievement against current international rivals, rather than measure exam results against national standards. |
| Such international rankings have also highlighted the educational strength underpinning the emerging economic powers in Asia. | Such international rankings have also highlighted the educational strength underpinning the emerging economic powers in Asia. |
| These latest rankings bring together two major international studies - the four-yearly Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the five-yearly Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). | These latest rankings bring together two major international studies - the four-yearly Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the five-yearly Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). |
| They reveal the continuing pattern of domination by a group of Asian education systems - South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong (such international comparisons include regional school systems as well as countries). | They reveal the continuing pattern of domination by a group of Asian education systems - South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong (such international comparisons include regional school systems as well as countries). |
| Science falls | Science falls |
| But the study, compiled by researchers at Boston College in the US, shows that England and Northern Ireland are performing strongly in the following group of European education systems. | But the study, compiled by researchers at Boston College in the US, shows that England and Northern Ireland are performing strongly in the following group of European education systems. |
| England has slipped in primary science tests, taken by 600,000 10 year olds - down to 15th place from 7th place in the last tests in 2007. There was also a dip for secondary science, taken by 14 year olds, down from 5th to 9th place. | |
| In the literacy tests, taken by a sample of 325,000 primary school pupils, there was progress for England - up from 15th to 11th. | In the literacy tests, taken by a sample of 325,000 primary school pupils, there was progress for England - up from 15th to 11th. |
| In maths, the study says England has been one of the most improved between 1995 and 2011. England remains in the global top 10 for maths - in 9th for primary and 10th for secondary. | In maths, the study says England has been one of the most improved between 1995 and 2011. England remains in the global top 10 for maths - in 9th for primary and 10th for secondary. |
| England's Education Minister, Liz Truss, said: "The rise in performance in reading is encouraging but there is too long a tail of under-performance. The lack of progress in maths and the decline in science, linked to the removal of compulsory tests for all 11-year-olds, is a real concern." | England's Education Minister, Liz Truss, said: "The rise in performance in reading is encouraging but there is too long a tail of under-performance. The lack of progress in maths and the decline in science, linked to the removal of compulsory tests for all 11-year-olds, is a real concern." |
| Changes to the exam system and curriculum would be designed to be "on a par with the best in the world", she said. | Changes to the exam system and curriculum would be designed to be "on a par with the best in the world", she said. |
| Top European | Top European |
| There was an even stronger performance for Northern Ireland - in 6th place for primary maths, which meant it was the highest ranking European school system. | There was an even stronger performance for Northern Ireland - in 6th place for primary maths, which meant it was the highest ranking European school system. |
| Northern Ireland is in 5th place for primary reading - in a top group alongside such education superpowers such as Finland and Hong Kong. In terms of the proportion of pupils reaching the highest ability levels, Northern Ireland was even more successful, in 3rd place. | Northern Ireland is in 5th place for primary reading - in a top group alongside such education superpowers such as Finland and Hong Kong. In terms of the proportion of pupils reaching the highest ability levels, Northern Ireland was even more successful, in 3rd place. |
| Scotland and Wales are not included in these rankings. | Scotland and Wales are not included in these rankings. |
| Such results show long-term trends, overlapping between different governments and education ministers. | Such results show long-term trends, overlapping between different governments and education ministers. |
| But there is a broad pattern repeated across these tables, with a cluster of Asian, Pacific Rim, countries at the top, European and western countries in the upper and middle ranks, with countries in North Africa and the Middle East in the lower ranks. | But there is a broad pattern repeated across these tables, with a cluster of Asian, Pacific Rim, countries at the top, European and western countries in the upper and middle ranks, with countries in North Africa and the Middle East in the lower ranks. |
| There are other international rankings - but these also show a similar picture at the top of the table, with education systems such as South Korea, Hong Kong, Finland and England among the highest performers. | |
| In global league tables assembled by Pearson last month, Finland and South Korea were top, with England in 6th place. | |
| The less expected success of the TIMMS and PIRLS rankings will be the high performance of Russia, which has a place in all their top 10s. | |
| Another prominent international ranking, the PISA tests run by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, has shown a strong performance for Chinese education systems, including Shanghai and Hong Kong. |