PISA Results - press release
3 December 2013
Commenting on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results in maths, reading and science for 2012, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said:
“The snapshot provided by the PISA results clearly shows that countries which are performing well, pay teachers well, respect the profession and encourage collaboration between teachers and schools.
“Andreas Schleicher makes the point that there are more motivating factors for teachers than money, such as professional respect: this is the exact opposite of the direction Michael Gove is taking education in England. Performance Related Pay and the fragmentation of the education system make it increasing difficult to encourage collaboration between teachers and schools. Government needs to stop their attacks on teachers’ pay and pensions and return schools to local democratically elected local authorities with a responsibility for the range of essential support and services including school provision, admissions and school improvement.
“The debate about school systems in different countries must take into account economic and social situations. Social segregation is greater in England than in almost all other OECD countries. It is regrettable but a plain fact that child poverty is the biggest factor limiting children's potential. Life outside of the classroom does impact on the ability to learn and is an issue that this and future governments must address.
“It is important for parents to know that a growing number of statisticians dispute the methodology and question whether the comparisons between countries are valid. It is also vital to remember that the PISA league table positions are not meant to be accepted uncritically. The 'rankings' are not intended to be used by governments to make hasty or over-simplified conclusions about a country's education system.
“A ‘world class’ education system in the UK would see an end to the prescriptive nature of many of Michael Gove's reforms. Our curriculum needs to be engaging and relevant to the times we live in. League tables, which give a distorted picture of a school’s achievement, alongside excessive testing of our youngest pupils, must stop. The buzzword ‘autonomy’ clearly means different things to different audiences. For the NUT this has to mean trusting teachers to make professional judgements if we are to see a return to the teaching and learning that is essential for all pupils to achieve to the best of their abilities.”