Scottish Government

Improve levels of educational attainment

DESCRIPTION:

This indicator measures Scotland's performance on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) against the performance of other OECD countries.

This is calculated as the average difference in points score across the three subjects (reading, maths and science) between Scotland and the OECD average - irrespective of changes in the membership of the OECD or countries' participation in PISA.

SOURCE:

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international assessment of student attainment in reading, maths and science at age fifteen. PISA is run by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and takes place every three years. Scotland has participated in PISA on each occasion since its inception in 2000.

Scottish Analysis is published by the Scottish Government

While the main OECD publication reports on the United Kingdom as a whole, Scotland participates as a distinct adjudicated area enabling results to be published separately. A subset of this information is reported by the OECD in their report. England, Wales and Northern Ireland also have boosted samples as non-adjudicated areas within the rest of the UK in order to produce separate analysis.

PISA focuses on testing the knowledge and skills required for participation in society and assessing the extent to which students can apply skills gained in school in everyday adult life, thus moving beyond the student's ability to master the school curriculum.

In 2015, a representative sample of 109 secondary schools in Scotland was randomly selected by the OECD for participation in the survey. The sampling frame was stratified on the basis of exam performance (split into five categories), urban/rural location and school size. Special schools were excluded from the sampling frame.

DEFINITIONS: The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international assessment of student attainment in reading, maths and science at age fifteen. PISA is run by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and takes place every three years.

BASELINE AND PAST TRENDS:

Baseline value: 2006: 10 points (+/-4)

2000: 27 points (+/-3)

2003: 20 points (+/-3)

2006: 10 points (+/-4)

2009:   8 points (+/-4)

2012:   9 points (+/-3)

2015:   2 points (+/-5)

Data for this measure from the 2000 and 2003 PISA rounds should not be compared to figures for 2006 and beyond. This is due to changes in the PISA assessments and scoring methodology that took place in 2003 (maths) and 2006 (science). The use of an average across all three PISA domains in this indicator means comparisons prior to 2006 are not possible.

CRITERIA FOR RECENT CHANGE ARROW:

This evaluation is based on: any difference in the gap within +/- 5 points of last year's figure suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. If Scotland is above the OECD average, an increase in the gap of 5 points or more suggests the position is improving; whereas a decrease of 5 points or more suggests the position is worsening.

For information on general methodological approach, please click here.

FUTURE ISSUES OR REVIEWS:

No issues.

ASSOCIATED TARGET:

No associated target.