, Cabinet Secretary for
Education: One of our Government's key priorities is a sustained
improvement in education standards. We are investing an
additional £10 million in literacy and numeracy for 2025/26 to
support targeted interventions for learners who need it most and
to strengthen our understanding of attainment and progression
across the system.
To support this ambition, I have previously announced that Wales
will participate in international assessments for literacy,
numeracy and science for Year 5 learners. Taking part in PIRLS
(Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and TIMSS
(Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) will
provide us with further information on the progress of learners
at younger ages. Both studies are developed by the IEA
(International Association for the Evaluation of Educational
Achievement).
I am pleased that, following a competitive tendering process,
Pearson Plc has been appointed as the National Centre to
administer TIMSS 2027 in Wales. This appointment marks an
important step in our commitment to gathering high-quality data
on learner outcomes in mathematics and science at primary
level. Pearson is also administering PIRLS 2026 in Wales,
and they are now actively recruiting schools for the 2026
literacy assessments.
In keeping with this approach, Wales is currently participating
in the PISA international assessments for 15-year-olds. Schools
have been administering the tests since mid-September, and I
would like to extend my sincere thanks to pupils, staff and
schools for their continued commitment to taking part in the
assessments. Like PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS will draw on a sample of
schools on a voluntary basis.
As I have previously stated, this is not a return to a form of
high-stakes accountability, but rather an opportunity to capture
national-level data and information which will help all of us to
drive improvement together. Parents can follow their child's
individual progress and receive tailored feedback through the
annual Personalised Assessments.
Through this combination of PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS, qualification
results, evaluation work, and an updated approach to reporting on
Personalised Assessments, we are building a robust national
evidence base covering a range of learner age groups and skills,
helping us understand and evaluate our progress in delivering a
sustained improvement in education standards.
