Lynne Neagle, Cabinet Secretary for Education
A sustained improvement in education standards is one of our top priorities as a government. I recently announced an additional £1.1 million to be spent this year, and an additional £10 million for literacy and numeracy in the draft budget for 2025/26 which will include interventions to support struggling learners. Part of this funding will also be used to ensure we have the best possible insights to understand attainment and progression.
To support this ambition, I am keen to benchmark our progress internationally. I have therefore decided that Wales will participate in international assessments for literacy, numeracy and science for year 5 learners. Taking part in PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) will provide us with further information on the progress of learners at younger ages. Both studies are developed by the IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement).
I am pleased that Pearson Plc has been appointed as the National Centre to conduct PIRLS 2026 in Wales, following a competitive tendering process. The next TIMSS will take place in 2027. I will update members on that tendering process once it concludes.
In keeping with this approach, Wales will participate in the PISA international assessments for 15-year-olds again this autumn. Schools are currently being invited to take part in the PISA assessments and it is vital that those who are asked to take part agree to do so. Like PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS will draw on a sample of schools on a voluntary basis.
I want to be clear that this is not a return to a form of high stakes accountability, but rather an opportunity to capture national-level data and information which will help all of us to drive improvement together. Parents can follow their child’s individual progress and receive tailored feedback through the annual Personalised Assessments.
Through this combination of PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS, qualification results, evaluation work, and an updated approach to reporting on Personalised Assessments, we are building a robust national evidence base covering a range of learner age groups and skills, helping us understand and evaluate our progress in delivering a sustained improvement in education standards.