Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

4TH December 2007

Commenting on the latest PISA performance tables, Steve Sinnott,General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said;

“I am not convinced that the conclusions that we are failing in teaching reading and maths are born out by comparisons between 2000 and 2006. The major focus in 2000 was on reading itself. The big test for the UK is going to be when the next PISA is published, directly comparing reading standards between 2000 and 2009.

 “It is good news that students are ranked highly when it comes to science, leading to positive environmental awareness. The message is that one third of youngsters find science fun. They are the ones who are likely to be the highest achievers.

“But poking through the maze of data are rather more unpalatable messages. Private schools with greater resources, small class sizes and better equipment have a hugely unfair advantage over youngsters in state schools.

“Fewer students make the connection between science and a future career.

“While the achievement of a third of youngsters in science is a cause for celebration I have to ask whether the current over- prescribed and overloaded science curriculum is putting off a large number of students.

“Science in primary schools is one of our greatest achievements. Science teachers in secondary schools need the equipment, small group sizes and professional freedom to enthuse youngsters about the joys and relevance of practical science.

“We  need more science teachers. I am deeply concerned that we have yet to crack the endemic shortages of physics and chemistry teachers”.