Scottish schools are performing "significantly below" those in England when it comes to reading, maths and science, a major report on global educational standards has found.
The Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) is published every three years and measures learning rates among nearly 700,000 15-year-olds worldwide. The report found the overall picture for schools in Scotland was "mixed", with pupil performance generally stabilising between 2022 and 2025 - but still significantly down on results recorded in the 2000s.
Long-term decline across all core subjects
The report reveals a long-term decline in Scotland's performance across all three core subjects. Scotland's score in the 2025 Pisa assessment for reading was 488, down from 492 in 2022 and 526 in 2000 when the Pisa study started. For maths the score last year was 467, down from 471 three years ago. In science, Scotland achieved a mean score of 491 points, compared with 483 in 2022.
England ranked first among the four UK nations for each of the three core subject areas. In science, Scotland was found to have performed significantly below England, significantly above Wales and at a statistically similar level to Northern Ireland. In mathematics, Scotland performed significantly below England and the UK overall, significantly above Wales and at a statistically similar level to Northern Ireland. In reading, Scotland performed significantly below England, significantly above Wales and at a statistically similar level to Northern Ireland and the UK overall.
Poverty gap and staffing concerns
The latest publication remarked it was "notable" that Scots pupils from wealthier backgrounds continue to out perform those from poorer neighbourhoods. It found half of pupils in Scotland (51 per cent) attend schools where headteachers have reported that a lack of staff "hindered instruction to some extent or a lot", compared to an international average of 39 per cent.
More than 3,000 15-year-old pupils from 115 schools and colleges across Scotland were tested for the latest survey. Scotland was placed above England in reading as recently as 2013, when a score of 506 was recorded.
Political reaction
The long-term drop in standards comes despite Nicola Sturgeon's famous promise in 2015 to judge her record as First Minister on education. Katherine Sangster, Scottish Labour education spokeswoman, said: "For young Scots to be lagging so far behind their English counterparts – over a year behind – should be a wake-up call to the SNP. This is not new – SNP ministers have had countless warnings and yet nothing has changed. In spite of these challenges, the SNP has put forward no plans for catch up, no ambition for our young people, and no ideas for curriculum reform. On top of that, they take no responsibility. Young Scots deserve better."
Duncan Dunlop, Scottish Lib Dems education spokesman, said: "Once the best in the world, Scottish education just isn't what it used to be. Under the SNP, our education system has tumbled down the rankings, lagging behind England on every measure of performance. This report makes for brutal reading. Pupils with additional support needs aren’t having their needs met, too many pupils are frequently absent, and classrooms are more violent than ever before. Pupils, parents and teachers feel let down. They deserve better."
Mairi McAllan, the Education Secretary, insisted the Pisa report showed Scots schools remained "competitive" when compared with others around the world. She added: "These results demonstrate that Scotland’s education system is competitive by international standards, performing above the OECD average on four measures out of five. Scotland has stabilised its international performance, which is very welcome, alongside the significant weakening in the relationship between learners’ socio-economic background and performance, particularly in reading. While recognising the positives, these results also underline the need for change in certain areas – change that I intend to lead in the coming period to ensure excellence and equity for all Scotland’s young people."
Speaking at a Fringe show last month, Sturgeon insisted: "The Scottish education system is not failing and the exam results last week are evidence of that." Challenged by host Iain Dale on Scotland dropping below England in international league tables, she added: "The education systems are different and measured differently. Like many countries, we have a poverty-related attainment gap. So yes, the education system has challenges, but this narrative that the system is failing is just nonsense. Let's not talk ourselves down. Let's tackle the problems where they are, but let's not allow ourselves to be talked into this media narrative about everything in this country being s***, because it really isn't"
