England’s Pupils Break Into Global Top 10 in Reading, Maths and Science

VoS NEWS DESK | EDUCATION | 11 September 2026

The findings come from the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). More than 760,000 15-year-old students across 91 countries and economies took part, making the latest assessment one of the largest international comparisons of educational performance.

England recorded particularly strong results compared with the wider international picture. Separate analysis of the latest PISA data places England eighth in science, ninth in reading and tenth in mathematics. England’s science performance also improved significantly compared with 2022, while reading and mathematics remained broadly stable.

The results are notable because average OECD performance declined across the three core subjects. England therefore managed to maintain its position while many other education systems experienced falls in attainment. The OECD reported that UK pupils performed above the OECD average in mathematics, reading and science.

In science, England’s average score increased from 503 in 2022 to 516 in 2025. Reading moved slightly from 496 to 497, while mathematics remained at 492. The figures suggest that England’s education system has shown resilience at a time when many countries are struggling to reverse post-pandemic and longer-term declines in pupil performance.

Education experts have linked England’s relatively strong performance to a long-running emphasis on core academic knowledge, stronger accountability and greater attention to subjects such as mathematics and science. However, the results do not mean that England’s education system has solved all of its problems.

Significant gaps remain between disadvantaged pupils and their more advantaged classmates. The government has also acknowledged the need to ensure that high-quality teaching reaches pupils who face the greatest barriers to achievement.

The wider UK picture is more mixed. England was the strongest-performing UK nation across the three core subjects, while Scotland and Wales recorded weaker results in several areas. Scotland’s performance has sparked a fresh debate over curriculum, classroom discipline and education reform, with former Education Secretary Michael Gove arguing that some policies used in England could offer lessons for Scotland.

Another concern raised by the OECD is the growing challenge of student engagement. Researchers have pointed to digital distractions, changing reading habits and absenteeism as factors that can affect educational outcomes. The challenge for England will therefore be to maintain strong academic standards while ensuring pupils remain engaged and supported in the classroom.

VoS STRATEGIC INSIGHT

England’s rise into the global top ten gives policymakers a strong reason to protect reforms and teaching practices that appear to be working. At the same time, international rankings should not become a reason for complacency. The next challenge will be narrowing disadvantage gaps, improving pupil engagement and ensuring that strong national results translate into better opportunities for children across every region and background.

Source: UK Department for Education, OECD PISA 2025, UCL Institute of Education.